That's Why You Have Back-Up
by littlespobette
Summary: After Erin is kidnapped and almost beaten to death, Will delivers Erin and Jay with life changing news
1. Chapter 1

"Alright, Halstead. Lindsay. You're going undercover for this part of the investigation. You will be posing as a couple at the Burlesque bar, that the girl we found OD'ed behind." Voight demanded.

Erin smirked at Jay as he winked back at her. "Should be easy enough considering we're actually together." She thought to herself.

"Go get suited up then the two of you." Voight finished.

Erin cleared her throat as she entered the back garage of the District.

Jay turned to look at his partner and girlfriend, and walked towards her wolf-whistling. "Damn, my girl looks...". He was cut off when he heard someone else make their way into the back garage.

"You two good to go?" Dawson asked. The both of them nodded as they jumped into the back of Voight's SUV.

Jay put his hand on his girlfriends upper thigh and kissed her neck, just subtly enough so that their boss wouldn't catch them getting up close and personal with each other. "Back into what I was saying before... My girl looks ever so sexy in that green dress, and I cannot wait to rip it off of you after we finish this tonight." He whispered into her ear.

Lindsay giggled quietly, muttering "Stop it!" under her breath.

It had to have been the best undercover job they had done in a long time. Within less than an hour, Halstead and Lindsay had managed to track down and arrest the owner of the Burlesque bar who had been buying, importing and exporting hundreds of thousands of dollars of heroin in and out of Chicago.

"My baby did well tonight." Erin complimented her boyfriend as they walked out of the elevator towards Erin's, or as they had started to call it, their, apartment.

Erin had barely shut the door of the apartment before Jay pushed her up against the wall, began to run his hands up and down her body, kissing her neck passionately. "Oh god." Erin cried out, "I've missed this. It has been way too long."

Jay lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his torso and carried her to their bedroom. Within seconds Jay had managed to rip off Erin's dress as promised, Erin doing the same with his suit.

Erin kissed every inch of Jays torso. Jay shivered as tingles ran down his spine, his eyes rolling back into his head in the process.

"Lindsay. We need to make a pact here now. No more than a week without this again. Screw sleep, this is so much better."

"Shut up and kiss me." Erin sighed pulling the sheets over the top of them both.

Clothes, sheets, comforters and pillows were strewn across the bedroom floor. Erin laid across Jays chiselled bare torso, gazing at him as he slept.

"I could get used to this Er. Waking up like this every morning, with you being as perfect as you are." He said, running his fingers through Erin's short blondish brown locks.

"So could I, but if we don't get our asses moving. I can bet you that Voight will kick us into next week." Erin chuckled, pulling the sheets off of Jay.

4 weeks later

Jay took the steps two at a time as he made his way up to the bullpen. He hadn't heard from Erin ever since she had left here last night. "Has anyone heard from Erin?" He asked, worried.

"Not since yesterday when she left here no." Voight replied, placing his mug of coffee on the corner of Halsteads desk. "Anyone else?"

Everyone shook their heads. No one had heard from her. This wasn't like her at all, Jay thought to himself.

"Halstead. Come with me. We'll go check her apartment. Antonio. Atwater. Ruzek. Olinsky. Look for her anywhere you think she might be. Gym. Boxing Gym. Molly's. And check Chicago Med for any recent admissions."

The ride to Erin's apartment was log and silent. This wasn't like her at all to disappear or not tell anyone where she was going.

As they reached the door of her apartment. The two men began to panic immediately. Not only was the door open. It was clear there had been signs of a break in. Splinters of wood from the door frame were scattered over the threshold of the door.

Jay felt hopeless. Not only was she missing, she had been kidnapped. It was clear from the state of the inside of her place that there had been a struggle. Their couch, had been turned upside down, the cushions ripped and torn. The glass from her coffee table was scattered about the room, in tiny fragmented pieces.

But what the two men saw next worried them further. Blood spatters all over Erin's off white wool rug.

Jay sank to the ground, his head in his hands. "Halstead. We'll find her. You know how tough she is, she'll get through this." Voight said caringly.

"I hope you're right Sarge."

Erin was sore and stiff all over. She could barely move. Her head throbbed. Her left hand felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. She tried as hard as she could to open her eyes, but any slight movement pained her even more.

"How much are we putting her up for?" A man asked someone. His voice was deep, and he had an accent of some kind. It sounded British of some sort, a mix of English and Scottish, maybe?

"There's no way we're doing this for less than 200k." Another man demanded. He was definitely English. She could feel one of them walk closer to her. He hovered over her face and stroked her cheek. If Erin was able to move, she would have given him one of her best right hooks.

His breath wreaked. "And she was so pretty... Before you beat the crap out of her James. Voight is going to kill you when he gets her back."

"Yeah if he gets the money in time. Which I'm hoping he doesn't. Because she was a lot of fun last night." The one with the deeper voice laughed.

What happened? Erin thought to herself. She couldn't remember anything after coming home from work yesterday.

Her train of thought was cut off when one of the men picked her up and threw her into what felt like a chair. She finally came to, opening her eyes. The light was so bright it was blinding, she squinted a few times before she could fully see her surroundings.

The faces she was met with were familiar to her, they were bartenders at the Burlesque club, she and Jay had gone to undercover a few weeks ago.

"Ahh she lives at last." The English one smirked, making his way over to her. "You know even with those bruises, she's still pretty easy on the eyes." He was behind her now. Erin felt something pressed up against her throat, the cool metal was enough for her to realise what it was.

"Smile. Detective Lindsay. This ones for your little boyfriend at 21. Or we show him what 50000 volts looks like on his pretty little girlfriend."

Erin screamed at the top of her lungs. Praying that someone could hear her. She had no idea where she was. "Help me somebody!" She screamed as he pushed the taser into her abdomen. She writhed in agony, almost passing out from the pain.

"No one will hear you down here Erin." The other one laughed before smashing a tyre iron against the side of her skull.


	2. Chapter 2

Jay had barely slept that night. He paced the lounge room of his apartment. Calling anyone and everyone he could, trying to get a lead.

After 3 hours of endless phone calls and dead ends. He collapsed on the couch, slowly drifting off to sleep.

He didn't know how long he had been asleep. When his phone rang out, vibrating in his sweatpants pocket.

It was from an unknown. He didn't hesitate as he opened the message.

Detective Halstead and Intelligence District 21. Bring $200k to the corner of West Benson and Hall midday.

"She's still alive." Jay sighed. He felt a sudden wavering of hope. His Erin was still alive. He would have the chance to wrap his arms around her tiny body and tell her how much loved her, needed her.

Before he had a chance to get his hopes up. Another message came through. A video.

Erin appeared on the screen. Her short hair matted and stained with blood. Her face was barely recognisable, blood covering more than half of her face. Her lip busted open. Her left eye, black and blue.

He pressed play. A man came into view. And walked behind Erin. Pressing what seemed to a taser up against her abdomen. Erin tried to scream, her airways blocked from his hand over her mouth. "Smile. Detective Lindsay. This ones for your little boyfriend at 21."

"Help me!" Erin screamed from the top of her lungs, her voice cracking in the process. She writhed and her body jerked in pure agony. Her body fell limp against the chair as the man whacked the tyre iron against her temple.

Jays heart sank as the screen went black.

It was 11am. One hour before the exchange.

The whole squad huddled in the back entrance of the district, helping each other out on their vests, whilst Voight debriefed them about the exchange with the two men from the Burlesque bar a few weeks back.

She should be here. This was their special thing. They always helped each other get their vests on properly.

"Okay. I doubt that this is going to go as we hoped. Antonio. Ruzek. Myself. Will head to the exchange point. Halstead. Atwater. Olinsky. You watch the house that Mouse located the phone to. When I give you the go ahead. You need to see if she's there. I doubt they're going to bring Erin with them. Let's roll out." Voight demanded.

The bigger man grabbed Erin by the throat, choking her. "If you scream. Or even try to escape whilst I am gone. James is going to come in here, and make you wish you never lived." Erin gasped, as he let go of her.

"Fall out men." Hank yelled through the squads ear pieces. The money had been handed over. No sign of Erin. Just the smaller guy from the video. He had refused the exchange, resulting in Hank's usual method of coercion. His 19mm at his forehead until he gave in. Unfortunately for him, He didn't budge. Two slugs in the

Jay and the other two made there way to the door of the house. He smashed his fist against the door. "Chicago PD!"

Atwater and Olinsky trailed behind Jay as they cleared each room on the ground floor. "I'll clear upstairs, you two check the basemant." Jay ordered making his way up the stairs, his gun held out in front of him. He lost hope, as he cleared each room upstairs. There was no sign anywhere in the house of people being here.

Then Jay heard what he feared most. Gunshots. Three times.

Jay felt as if he didn't have time to think. His legs just carried him, faster than he thought possible to the basement.

"JAY!" Olinsky yelled. "Basement. Now!"

And then there she was. Battered and bruised none the less. But there she was. Rushing to her side immediately, he touched the side of her face. She was unconscious. Cold. And her pulse was weak. "Erin baby. Come on. It's me. Wake up." He shook her gently."

"22-13. 22-13. We need an ambulance to 209 East Belgrade immediately. Unconscious female detective. Immediate medical attention requested." Atwater ordered over his radio.

Within minutes the ambulance arrived, their sirens blaring. A noise once hated by Jay, now relieved his fears of losing Erin, she would be okay.

He stepped back as he watched over the two paramedics check Erin's vitals. "We have to get her to Chicago Med immediately." The female medic yelled, as she and the other medic lifted her onto the strecher. Her body so pale and lifeless. "Go with her Jay." Alvin nodded, as Jay began to follow behind them up to the ambulance.

He held her small cool hand in his, he must have felt like a furnace against her skin.

Will along with two other ER doctors ran through the doors of the hospitals ER entrance. "What've we got!?" Will exclaimed.

"Significant blood loss. Trauma to the head. Fractured left wrist. Suffered severe trauma due to teasers. BP dropping slowly." The female paramedic said.

"We got it from here." The other ER doctors stated pulling Erin's stretcher into a room.

Will stood in the door way of the room. His hands up at his sides. "Jay. This is as far as you go."

Halstead buried his head in his hands. "You need to come and get me as soon as she's okay. I can't lose her again Will."


	3. Chapter 3

He didn't know long he had been standing there watching the doctors work tirelessly over her lifeless body through the blinds.

"Jay. Don't do this to yourself. There's nothing we could have done. We did as best as we could." Voight told him, his hands on Jays shoulders. "Come and sit. It's not doing you any good watching them. You're going to freak yourself out."

He wasn't in any mood to protest. Plus, he knew Voight was right. He sank down into the vinyl cushioned chair beside Hank, "Thank you for being there for her these last few months. I know I haven't been exactly welcoming towards the idea of you too. But I'm glad that she has you liking out for her. I couldn't ask for anything more."

"Thanks Sarge. That means more than you know." Jay replied. "I'm gonna go wash this off." His hands were still stained with her blood.

The wash room stunk of bleach, the blue grey tiles that lined the walls made him feel sick to his stomach. How many people had been in his place before? Washing the blood of their loved ones hands and clothes.

As he walked back towards the waiting room, he took in everything in his passing. Families and friends, appeared numb and blind to what was going on around them, waiting to hear news of their loved ones fate.

He slumped in his chair. He felt himself slowly drifting off to sleep. He was exhausted. He needed to be there when she came to.

He didn't know how long he had been asleep for when Hank nudged him awake. Motioning towards the younger Halstead walking towards them. "She's stable. Her blood pressure is back up where it should be. No evidence of sexual assault. We've put a cast on her left wrist. And stitched up the cuts and bruises on the side of her face and eyelids. She's weak from the taser stuns but she'll be okay. Just a week or so and she'll be back to her usual self." Will smiled optimistically.

"Can we see her?" Jay beckoned. "She's asleep at the moment but she should wake up soon."

Her room had the same sickening smell of the wash room. Her face, although bruised and stitched, wasn't bloody like before. Her left hand was plastered. The sound of a heart rate monitor filled the room. It was somewhat comforting to him, she was stable, alive.

Taking a seat in the chair at her besides, Jay took Erin's hand in his. It was warmer than before, bringing a tiny smile to his face.

Hank stood at the end of her bed, his hands resting on the frame. "Those two are going to wish they never laid a hand on her. The cage is a little slice of paradise compared to what they've got coming." He whispered, careful not to wake her up. "I have to head back to the District. Call me when she's awake?"

Jay nodded, "Thanks Sarge. Will do." He finished as his Sargent left the room.

Jay kissed Erin's forehead, pushing her short hair out of her face, before leaning back into the chair comfortably, resting his eyes, her hand still in his.

Jay woke to his phone vibrating in his jacket pocket. "Yeah!?"

"Any news? Nobody can focus over here." Burgess asked. "She's still asleep. I promise I'll get back to you ASAP. Thanks Kim."

"You've got us all so worried baby." Jay sighed. "If you could wake up soon, you'd be doing all of us a favour."

"Clingy much?" Erin croaked. Jay jumped out of his seat, carefully wrapping his arms around Erin, smashing his lips against hers. "How do you feel?"

Erin pushed herself up in her bed, wincing whilst doing so. "It hurts, everywhere." She lifted her hand to her right eye, touching it where it hurt most. "What happened?"

Jay sat up on the side of Erin's bed, his hand "The two bartenders from that Burlesque club a few weeks back? They trashed your apartment and kidnapped you. Held you for ransom. That's the short version."

"Thank you." Erin croaked, reaching out cupping Jays face with her hand. "I'm just glad it was you they sent in." Erin winced in pain. "Always Er. I'm gonna grab Will and get you something for that."

Will smiled as he entered the room, "I'm glad to see you awake. I thought this one here was going to have a heart attack." He laughed nudging Jay.

"You were worried about me?" Erin giggled, still weak. This was the Erin, Jay knew. Sarcastic. Making light of a bad situation.

"So how are you feeling?" Will asked. "Well, despite the fact I feel like I've been hit over the head with a brick. Not bad. Just a little sore everywhere."

"That's a good sign. I just want to talk to you about your injuries?"

Jay shifted, moving to sit back on the side of Erin's bed.

"You lost a lot of blood from the injuries you sustained, being physically assaulted. Which we had to give you a transfusion. You were concussed but you seem to be well recovered now. Your left wrist was fractured in two places, hence the cast. You'll only need it on for a month or so. And you'll have a few small scars from where you were tasered on your abdomen." Erin's shoulders sank, had she really survived that whole ordeal?

Jay squeezed her hand. He hated to see her like this. "So, I'll be okay. No long term issues?" Erin asked.

Will sighed taking a deep breath. He took a step closer towards Erin. "There is one more thing. We found something when we recieved your blood work back."

Erin furrowed her brows. Jay tightened his arm around Erin's shoulder. "Erin. I don't know how to tell you this. Your blood work came back with high levels of HCG."

Erin sighed. She'd spent enough time in hospitals over the years and seen her fair share of medical dramas to know what that meant.

"Will. What does that mean?" Jay asked crossing his arms walking towards his brother.

"Jay. Erin's pregnant."


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm sorry. What!?" Erin exclaimed, her brows furrowed even more. Jay was taken aback, speechless.

"You see if you don't believe me. It states right here in your blood work.." Will pointed out. "By the looks of it, I'd say you're about four weeks along."

Jay bent down, his hands resting on his thighs. "There's no way. Erin's on the pill. Plus we used a condom." He stated.

"You can disagree with me all you like but it stated right there on that page. You're definitely pregnant."

Erin tired to find the words to explain how she felt in that moment. Terrified. Excited. Scared. Fearful. Somewhat over joyed.

Jay was speechless. He had barely said ten words. "I'll give you two a minute." Will said.

The second Will left the room, Erin burst into tears. Her emotions were running wild. She had tried all her might to hold in the tears.

Jay immediately pulled her into his chest. Neither of them said a word, they sat there in silence, in each other's arms.

Erin took a deep breath. "Please tell me how you feel about all this? I don't know how I feel or what to feel."

"To be honest. I feel the same way. I'm terrified. But I'm happy. This doesn't change us, okay? I love you Er." Jay smiled, cupping her face in his hands.

Erin pulled away, moving his hands to her lap instead. "Jay. How am I supposed to be a mother? Only six months ago, I was on drugs again, out all night. Sleeping all day. I threw everything away."

"Hey. I know you can do this. We can do this. Look at how well you looked after Nadia. You helped her turn her life around." Jay reassured.

Erin looked up at Jay, squeezing his hand. She knew he was right. As much as she struggled to admit it, she knew she had done a good job with Nadia. "I know. You're right. It's just, I guess I never really thought about having kids. It didn't worry me whether I did or not. But, somehow knowing that this is our baby. Changes everything." Erin smiled, leaning her forehead against his.

The next few weeks after Erin had been discharged was like a whirlwind.

She had returned to the 21st, with nothing but a cast and yellowish bruises. She felt like her old self again, minus the morning sickness. And her and Jay's inability to keep their hands off each other. That was the hardest thing about being back at work. They tried to keep it professional, although everyone already knew they were a couple.

The day Erin was discharged. Will had organised an ultrasound for the his brother and Erin. Seeing their baby on the screen made all of this seem even more real. That little white flicker on the screen, was theirs.

Erin had never been the one to be overly emotional and expressive with her emotions. Neither had Jay for that matter. But that white flicker on the screen brought tears to their eyes.

Erin and Jay had come to an agreement during the past week that it would be best to move in together, considering that they were starting family.

The two young detectives stood in the basement of their apartment awaiting the removalist truck to deliver the rest of Jays things.

The day beforehand, the rest of the squad had helped to move the bigger things like tables and couches.

Erin had insisted on helping him bring his couch upstairs. The one they had spent endless nights on after she had returned to Intelligence from the Task Force.

He had pulled Erin into his side, his hand resting on her flat stomach. "Don't you even think about it Lindsay." He whispered into her ear through her hair. Erin wasn't going to protest, she knew he was right, she didn't want to risk doing herself or the baby any harm. Plus, it was too early for the rest of the team to know yet.

But today, was just the rest of Jays boxes of clothes, shoes and smaller objects.

"I can't believe this is happening." Erin smiled, her hands on her back.

"What's happening?" Jay turned to her.

"Us. Moving in together. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about falling asleep next to you and waking up in the morning, with you still here." Erin replied, wrapping her arm around Jays side.

"Me too baby. Me too."

After five hours of moving and unpacking the rest of Jays things, the two collapsed onto their "function and form" couch.

They had unpacked all of Jays clothes into his chest of drawers, his toiletries, kitchen utensils and everything in between.

Erin snuggled into Jays side, his arm wrapped around her. They sat in silence for a while. Exhausted. It had been a long day of constantly moving and shifting stuff and having many disagreements as to what should go where within their apartment.

Jay glanced at the clock.

5:34pm. He thought about making dinner as his stomach growled. Erin would be hungry too. He decided to make them some dinner. He carefully manoeuvres himself off the couch, and from underneath Erin, careful not to wake her. He placed a cushion under her head where he had been sitting and the slate grey comforter over her. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I love you. And our little family to so much Lindsay."

A/N: Please let me know what you all think. What I could improve on and what you would like to see. I have heaps of ideas for this story but am happy to take on anymore. Thanks :)


	5. Chapter 5

If there was anything Erin despised more than her mother, it was being sick. Being off from work and stuck inside. She hated it.

Morning sickness was a whole new level of sick. And Erin hated it. More than anything. This mornings episode was the worst it had been in the last six weeks since she and Jay had found out they were pregnant. Jay had been as supportive as e could have been without being overbearing.

A loud bang filled the apartment at 4:51am, as Erin sprang from their bed and sprinted to the bathroom, slamming and locking the door in the process. She didn't want Jay to have to see her heaving her guts out. Nor did she want to him at her side as she did so. It wasn't an issue of Jay, more so her. And Erin being who she was didn't want him to see her when she wasn't at her best.

Jay immediately woke, from his slumber and stumbled out of bed to lean against the door frame of the bathroom. Still groggy. He wandered to the kitchen and filled a glass of water for Erin.

She opened the bathroom door, her face a tinge of green, in Jay's faded black "The Clash" T shirt. "I'm sorry." She coughed, going to sit on the edge of the bed.

"For what, you goose?" He asked, handing her the glass of water. She smiled, thanking him. "For waking you up. I know we have a huge day."

"Erin Lindsay. I don't care if it's morning sickness. Cravings. If you can't sleep, you're bored and want to talk to someone. I'm here. That's what I'm here for. To support you always, especially over these next seven or so months." Jay smiled back at her, running his hand through her short hair.

Erin bounced in her seat next to Jay at the clinic, awaiting their ten week scan.

She smiled as she glanced around the room at all the women and their families awaiting their own appointments. Women and their families sat just as Jay and herself

did, young couples, older

couples, children, friends. She admired the other women's bumps, excited for the day when she would be able to sit there with Jay and feel their baby move within her.

"Someone's a little excited." Jay laughed, squeezing her hand. "And you're not!?" She questioned.

He raised his hands up in defence. "Believe me babe. I am. I'm just not going to bounce so high in my seat that I shoot through the roof."

Erin glared at him before bursting into a giggle. She was so excited. Jay loved seeing her like this. So full of love and happiness. It was one of the things he loved most about her. She kept herself pretty guarded most of the time, but when she was happy or excited about something, it came bursting out of her.

Jay watched as Erin practically skipped down the corridor after the nurse called her name. God. He loved that woman.

The two sat nervously in their Obstetricians office, waiting for her to join them for their appointment.

"Morning. Erin. Jay." Dr Hastings smiled. She was a tall woman, not much older than her and Jay. Her stereotypical white lab coat swallowed the petite woman.

She sat down in front of them, pen I hand. "How have you been feeling?"

"Really great. Just a bit sore and tender here and there, but besides that and the morning sickness, the worst was this morning. I've been really great." She assured the doctor.

"Well that's good to hear. It's all very normal. No pain of any kind?" Erin shook her head. "And how's Dad feeling?" Dr Hastings asked Jay.

His face lit up. "Perfect. Excited. Trying to be there for Er as much as I can." Erin winked at him. He had been so good to her, he always had, but especially these last six weeks.

Erin piped up. "I just had two quick questions that slipped my mind at our last check up. Is it still safe for me continue my fitness training? And with regards to work, when do you think would be best to take a step back from the front line?"

Jay was glad Erin had asked the doctor about the two topics that had caused a few disagreements over the last few weeks.

"As long as you're going to continue the same fitness regime and not increase the intensity compared to what you're already doing or push yourself past your limits then, you're perfectly safe too." Erin scoffed. "Ahah! I told you so, worry wart." Jay rolled his eyes at her. She always had to be right, just like she always had to drive.

"On the other hand with regards to your work. That is completely up to the two of you. If I was in the same position as you, I would be taking as many precautions as possible to keep yourself and baby, healthy and safe." Both Jay and Erin, stiffened in their seats. "Your choice. No one else's."

A long silence filled the room. Erin could hear the clock ticking in the corner of the room, before the doctor interjected breaking the silence.

"How about we take a look at how baby's going in there?" She smiled awkwardly, realising there was issues to be dealt with there.

Erin propped herself back onto the reclined bench chair, grabbing Jays hand in the process. "Can we talk about this later? Not here?"

Jay nodded as the ultrasound technician entered the room. "So, Ms. Lindsay. It says you're about 10 weeks along, is that correct?"

"Mmhmm" Erin replied, pulling up her shirt. Her stomach was still as flat and as toned as ever, but Dr Hastings had assured them that for someone with her level of fitness and body type, it wasn't unusual.

The technician had told them that their baby was the size of a prune, which made Jay laugh in confusion. How was something so small supposed to develop into a fully formed baby? Their baby's arms and legs were starting to form as well as fingernails, the last part, grossing them both out just a tad.

After a long shift of chasing twin brothers through the streets of downtown Chicago for the rape and murder of five French exchange students, Jay and Erin arrived home, starved and exhausted.

Erin began cutting up vegetables and chicken for a stir fry as Jay quickly took a shower and got changed. "We need to talk about what Dr Hastings mentioned today."

Erin groaned. "I knew it was only a matter of time."

Jay ran his hands through his hair, "You make it sound like some kid of business deal Erin. This isn't an interrogation. This is about the health and safety of our baby and you."

Erin slammed the sharp knife down on the bench, the noise echoed throughout the apartment. "You're right this isn't an interrogation Jay. Why are you talking to me like some kind of criminal!?"

He took a deep breath and took a step towards Erin, his hand leaving on the edge of the kitchen countertop.

"Baby. I'm sorry. It's just. I've never seen you this happy. Not since that night at Molly's when we became US. I just don't want anything to happen to you or out baby. Can't you understand that?."

"Jay. I don't know how many times I have to say this. I am not sitting behind that desk for the remainder of this pregnancy. I promise to stay safe, and not go in without back up or participate in anything remotely dangerous. I love you, and I love this baby. I would never do anything to jeopardise this." Erin gave in, placing her head in her palms before taking Jay's hand in hers, placing it on her stomach.

They stared into each other's eyes for a minute, their hands still resting on Erin's stomach, before continuing their conversation.

"Okay. Fine. I'm sorry. Just nothing too dangerous. You are to stay behind me at all times. And never, I repeat never, do you ever leave my side when we are out there."

Jay lead Erin to the couch, pulling her into his lap, she squealed as he tickles her slightly. "One more thing. When do you think would be a good time to maybe just take a step back from everything?" Jay asked cautiously, kissing her forehead.

"Maybe when you can't get me into that vest that you love to help me put on anymore?" She laughed, smirking. "I think I can agree to that."

Before they knew it, Erin's first trimester had come and gone like a flash of light. They knew they had to tell Voight and the rest of their team.

Hands in pockets, the two stood next to each other, rugged up in their warmest winter clothing at the base of the steps of District 21. Erin took a deep breath, and sighed, watching the heat of her breath disappear into the freezing winter morning weather.

When they arrived upstairs, Al and Voight were the only two members of their team upstairs. They were early. That was a first.

Al's head was busy in a case file, presumably something to do with today's case. Jay followed behind Erin as she knocked lightly on the glass window on Hank's door.

"Can we talk to you for a minute Hank?" Erin questioned nervously, taking a seat at his desk.

"This can't be good if you're calling me Hank." Voight sat forward, his fingers crossed with one another on the desk.

"Er. I think it's best we just come straight out with it." Jay assured her. "There's no easy way to say this, and I don't think that you're going to be too happy about it but just know that Jay and I, are happier than we've ever been before and examined this from every possible angle." She stumbled over her words, terrified to see her "father's" reaction.

"Voight. Erin and I are having a baby together." Jay finished.

Voight's face turned white, to red, to purple before changing back to its normal shade. "You. Me. Outside Halstead. Now!" He yelled, almost jumping over the desk to strangle Jay.

Erin had jumped up in front of him. "Hank. Don't you even think about it! This was as much my doing as it was his. It wasn't planned. But know that we know..."

"Know that we know, we're so happy. And so in love with this baby already." Jay smiled, pulling Erin into him.

"How long?"

"Thirteen weeks tomorrow."

Hank took a deep breath, relaxing back into his chair. "You know kid. I'm so proud of you. Fifteen odd years ago you were a kid barely surviving on the street. Now here you are with your partner and boyfriend, about to become a mother." He choked on the last bit, holding back tears. "I'm so happy for you kid. You and Jay. I love you like one of my own."

Erin felt herself welling up before hugging Hank. She cried into his jacket. "Thank you for everything. I owe my life to you."

Erin pulled away as she heard the circus make their way up the stairs to the bullpen. Jay shook his hand before Voight pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations Halstead. You've got yourself quite a handful there."

"And a beautiful handful at that." He gazed at Erin.

The two took their seats at theirs desks, along with the rest of the team, awaiting Hank's debrief regarding the days case.

"Before we begin. Halstead and Lindsay have a few words they'd like to say."

"If this involves you in a pant suit and task force coffee, I'm totally down for that!" Ruzek yelled out. Erin laughed and rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to make you coffee, for the millionth time."

"So, you all know a few weeks ago after we rescued Erin, she was in hospital for a while. There was some complications with her recovery and we've had to adjust which is why we're standing here right now." Jay began.

Everyone fell silent. Was Erin sick? "We found out that Jay and I are going to have a baby." Erin squealed.

Everyone took a breath of relief, jumping out of their seats, hugging and congratulating the two detectives.

"Damn. Jay. Don't do that again. You almost gave me a heart attack." Atwater laughed, shaking hands with Jay.

"Al." Erin smiled, her arms outstretched. He pulled her into him. "I'm so proud of you kiddo. You're going to do great."

"You really think so?" She asked. "If the way you got Nadia back on track as well as the hundreds of children you've dealt with over the years is any consolation. That baby is going to be the luckiest kid in Chicago. You and Jay, will be amazing parents. I know it."

Later that week after finding Nick Charles and charging him with the murder of his mother. The team organised a group dinner at Molly's, as a congratulatory dinner for Erin and Jay.

During the night, when Jay had gone up to the bar and ordered another round of drinks for the team, minus Erin. A woman approached him, mid twenties, blonde, legs up to her armpits. Ordered two shots of tequila. Drank them both herself. Before writing her number on Jay's arm.

Erin laughed as she watched on. She was never the jealous one. Nor would she ever be. Jay preferred brunettes. Not that it mattered though.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood babe. If I hadn't have been, she'd be on a metal tray right now in body bag." She teased flopping onto the bed, pulling off her boots.

"When you look at people, with those eyes of yours you give them false hope." She laughed as she finished.

His blue green eyes were to die for, when he looked at her the way he always had, he made her weak in the knees. "Yeah just like you gave me false hope, flirting your ass off on my first day at the 21st." He replied, crawling onto the bed, his elbows holding him up, above Erin.

"Excuse me!? I was great at hiding the fact I was lusting after you." She whispered, her raspy voice, turned Jay on, as she ran her fingers down his torso.

"I disagree. I knew the exact moment with you." Jay replied, planting soft kisses on her neck. "CPD Police Ball. I was on the stairs, you were in that short black strapless dress." Erin scoffed, cutting him off. "Wrong. I hated your guts that night. You almost let that moronic perp we were chasing after get away."

"Yeah. But you had lust in your heart." He continued, kissing her stomach. "Geez you've got tickets on yourself." He looked up at Erin, flashing that billion dollar half smile. "And I certainly don't find you attractive right now." Erin said between hitched breaths, trying to pull herself free from Jay.

"The thing is..." He kissed, throwing her on her back, placing her hands over her head. "You do."

She was reluctant to admit it, but she had lost that battle. Not saying a word, she grinned at Jay, before smashing her lips onto his.

A week later, Jay made his way to the apartment after going to gym after work. Erin was finishing a write up of the case from that day. She would be home late.

He opened the door, slipping off his shoes and socks. That's when he saw it.

The off white envelope mixed in with rest of the mail. He would recognise that envelope along with the logo on the front anyday.

United States Army.

That letter could only mean one thing. He ripped it open. Tearing the envelope to shreds.

Sargent Jay Halstead.

It is with great pleasure that the Rangers call upon your services and skills. We ask for your return to active duty for a six month tour. Departing Wilmington, NC base, at 05:00hrs, on November 19th. We await your confirmation.

General David Molan.

That was just over a week away.

What was he to do?

Most of all, how would he tell Erin?

A/N: Please review. Ten reviews and I'll put up the next chapter. Thank you


	6. Chapter 6

Jay stood speechless in the kitchen, his hands shaking as he held the letter.

He couldn't leave. Never again. Especially not now. Him and Erin were just starting to get used the idea of being a family. It made them both happier than ever before. He couldn't leave Chicago, although he was used to seeing the worst Chicago had to offer, he loved it nonetheless. It was home. He couldn't leave Intelligence. it was the first time in his life that he had actually enjoyed going to work. He woke up happy every morning knowing that he would be making Chicago a better place. He loved his team, they were some of the greatest detectives in Chicago. But above all else, he couldn't leave her.

He didn't want to leave her. He couldn't. He couldn't leave their baby. It was so early in the pregnancy. He would miss out on everything. He would miss seeing Erin's body grow and change to carry their child. The first time their baby would kick from within Erin. And above all, the birth off their child. That's what destroyed him the most. It would be one of the most important moments in their lives.

He might not ever make it back.

The thought of leaving everything behind overwhelmed Jay. He sunk down against the kitchen cupboards, his head in his hands, before bursting into tears.

He didn't know how long he had been there. He was numb. Everything around him seemed to disappear.

Before long, Erin came home. Jay didn't hear her come in. All she could hear as she walked in the door was the muffled sobs that came from the kitchen. She knew those muffled sobs. She had only ever heard them a few times before. When she was in hospital, had to have been the worst time.

Erin immediately flitted to Jay's side, pulling him close to her. "Jay. Baby. Whats wrong?" She panicked. Hearing her voice only made him cry harder. She closed her eyes and held him tight, planting a kiss on his forehead.

After a few minutes, he managed to take a deep breath. He tried to find the words to tell Erin that he had to leave. He couldn't find the words. Instead, he handed the letter to Erin, his hands still shaking.

Jay gazed at Erin, his eyes still glazed over. Erin reacted the way Jay had expected her too, the exact same way that he had done so.

"Jay." Erin looked up at him, stroking his left cheek. "You have to go."

"No." He replied, confused. She shouldn't want him to go.

"Jay..." Erin faltered between sobs. "I don't want you to go." She cried. "And I know you don't want to. But I know you need to."

Erin's mind ran wild as she thought about what it would be like to not have Jay here.

He wouldn't be there when she woke in the morning. No more Sunday morning snuggles as it snowed outside. He wouldn't be there to fight over who would drive. There would be no more Halstead and Lindsay. She always worked better knowing that she had him as her back up. And to get her vest on properly.

And he wouldn't be there to experience this pregnancy with her. He wouldn't be there to feel the first kicks and movements. He wouldn't be there to support her as she brought there baby into the world.

Just the thought that he might not come home made Erin to feel numb.

"Erin. How can you ask me that? We're about to start a family. I need to be here. I want to be here." He bowed his forehead to hers.

"I want you here more than anything. But, I know you don't have a choice."

Jay sighed. He knew he didn't. He had to go and serve.

"Erin. You don't know what it was like when I came back. What I was like. I don't want to become that person again. I can't." Jay broke into a million pieces. He had never opened up to anybody before about what it was like there. And he had never told anyone what it was like when he came home.

"Jay. Baby. Talk to me." Erin pleaded. She looked at him, not as the broken soldier but the strong, amazing detective and man she loved.

Taking Erin by the hand he lead her to the couch and began to tell her everything.

"I just can't be that guy anymore. I didn't care about anything. I was numb. Everything around me didn't exist. I was having nightmares every night, drinking until I passed out, starting fights with whoever would give me the beating I felt I deserved. Seeing the faces of my men's families as I returned from battle and they didn't."

Erin had sat and listened to him. That was what he needed. Someone to listen.

"And I don't want that to happen again. Not when I need and want to be here for you. For us. For our baby."

The two had sat up half the night talking. Crying. Holding one another. And being still together. Treasuring the time they still had left.

For the second time that month, Halstead and Lindsay found themselves seated in Voight's office.

"Well this can't be good then. Twice in a month? Lucky me." Voight joked.

Sensing the tone he cleared his throat. Jay squeezed Erin's hand before beginning.

"I've been called back for another tour. Six months. I have to leave next week."

Voight sighed. He felt for Jay. He could see the desperation in his eyes. He didn't want to leave. But he knew he had to, regardless of what the letter had stated. He felt for Erin. He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself. She had done so for the first fifteen years of her life, and beyond that. But he knew she would miss Jay terribly. Even more so, she would miss not having him there with her through this journey.

Voight couldn't be mad at Halstead. He wasn't leaving by choice. There was no choice to be made.

"I'd just like to thank you Sarge. For having me in your unit. Greatest job I've ever had. I just hope that maybe one day I'll be able to come back to this unit." Jay smiled. Trying to be optimistic, when he knew he might not make it back.

"The pleasure is all mine Jay. We've been so lucky to have you as one of our detectives. Your position will always be here for you."

Erin had been silent the whole time.

"Erin, where's your head at?"

"Exactly where you think. I don't want him to go. But I know he has to. And I'm going to miss him, and miss not having him here for this baby. But I know he'll be doing his best over there."

The three talked for a while about him leaving and what his tour would entail.

Before long, a call came through. Burgess and Roman had found a body where they had been on patrol.

"Well. Duty calls."

The man had been drawn and quartered. He had been there for a week at the least. And it was clear that he wasn't dead before he had been pulled apart. The stench was unbearable.

And for the first time since getting that letter, Jay and Erin, along with the rest of the team forgot about the fact that he had to leave.

They were focused on the case. It was like he wasn't ever going to leave at all. And it was exactly how he wanted it to be. They were partners and a team.

After a 14 hour day of chasing the mans wife, work colleagues and everybody in between, they had found their killer.

He had been living a double life. The family man. And now the no longer closeted transgender man,

who lead another life with his lover.

Tragically killed by his lover, after he found out about his double life.

The case had the whole team confused, but a case never forgotten none the less.


	7. Chapter 7

Before long it was the night before Jay was to leave to travel to Wilmington, North Carolina for active duty.

Erin and Voight had agreed to go with him to say goodbye.

Erin had cried enough in the last three weeks than she ever really had. She had nothing left to bring to the surface, neither did he. They both knew how they felt. They would miss each other deeply but they knew there was no real choice.

They were leaving at midday tomorrow. The still had 16 hours to themselves before hopping on a plane with Voight to Wilmington.

Jay had decided to treat himself and Erin, something that they usually didn't do, date night.

He had planned the whole night out for the two of them, as a surprise for Erin.

The two stepped out into the cool November air. Jay wore his fitted burgundy button down with loose fitted black jeans and his black military boots that he always wore, underneath his black winter coat.

His arm snaked around Erin's waist. Her hair styled it's usual short cropped choppy bob, sat just above her shoulders. Wearing her favourite black leather biker jacket, with her navy tight fitted jumper that showed her slightly rounded stomach, if you really looked for it. Her ripped black jeans clung tight to her toned legs, emphasised more by her heeled black leather boots.

"Jay, please tell me where we're going. I hate surprises." Erin giggled. Deep down she didn't really hate surprises, Jay knew it. She just hated not being fully

in the loop.

Jay walked hand in hand with Erin as they wandered around Lincoln Park at sunset, the oranges, pinks and purples of the sky flickered through the trees, reflecting on the water.

Barely saying much to one another as they walked, they just enjoyed the company, savouring their final moments together before he departed.

Time had escaped the two, a walk in Lincoln Park, a deep dish pizza between them and a visit to Salt and Straw, was over before they knew it.

For that night, they were two just a couple of detectives in love in Chicago. Not the two who were about to be torn apart by thousands of miles by war.

Jay and Erin now, settled back at home. They say in the warm tub, Jays arms engulfing Erin's small body. Her head resting on his chest.

"The days when I miss you the most, this is what I will remember. The small things like this, just being here with you." Jay assured Erin. "I'm going to try and video chat with you as much as possible Er. If it's anything like last time, we get to at least once a week. I don't want to miss anything more than I already am." He promised, pulling her closer to him. Both of their hands resting upon Erin's stomach.

"Please don't beat yourself up about this like I know you are. I'll be okay. We'll be okay." Erin insisted. Her hand resting above his. "And you'll be back before you know it. In our home. On our couch. With our baby."

The three stepped out of the taxi at the base in Wilmington.

Jay in his military dress greens, held Erin's hand in his. She was shaking, as was he. They balanced each other out as always, helping one another calm down, supporting one another.

But today wasn't like any other day. It was the last time he would see his boss, who he respected more than anything. His girl, his Erin. Erin as he knew her. When he would return she would be a mother. She already was, to so many children that had come through their department, and to Nadia. She would then be a mother, to their child, of which both of them knew little about. He or she was barely developed, all there was to show was the mere curvature of Erin's stomach.

"Thank you Voight. For giving me the opportunity of a lifetime." Jay shook his hand. "Thank you for being as great of a detective I knew you could be." Hank replied. Erin reached into the boot to grab the rest of Jays things as their conversation continued.

"I know I don't have to ask but look after her for me." Jay stated.

"I can only hope I can take as good of care of her as you do. I know I looked after her when she was growing up but you've taken care of her in every other way, loved her more deeply than she ever thought she deserved."

The two men hugged before Hank got back into the cab, wanting to give the two some privacy as they said their final goodbyes.

Their moment had come, the one that would separate them by 6965 miles.

The two longingly gazed at one another. Taking a deep breath, Erin jumped onto Jay, hugging him tighter than ever before.

Jay's eyes began to well up, tears forming. Lindsay buried her head in Jays shoulder as he did her. "I love you Erin Lindsay. And our little family. More than anything in the world. And I'm going to miss you, more than you can imagine."

"We'll be right here. One hundred and eighty two days from now." Erin choked, both her hands resting on her stomach.

Jay placed his hands on top of hers, and kissed Lindsay's forehead. "You be good to your Mom, okay? Don't be too hard on her. Because I love you so much and so does she."

At that moment, Erin burst into tears and collapsed into Jay. "Jay Halstead. Thank you for everything. For this amazing life we have created together. And I'm going to. We're going to miss you so much baby."

They stood together, holding each other for a while before Jay was called on by his commanding officer.

At that moment Lindsay reached up upon her toes and planted on last kiss upon Jays lips, cupping his face. "I love you."

Hank curled his arms around her waist, pulling her from Jay. "I love you too Er." He sighed, his voice cracking before he could finish.

He turned and walked away following his commanding officer. Hank held Erin close to him, as she cried. Inconsolable.

She took one last look out the back of the cab, as Jay walked towards his base.

The trip back to Chicago was a quiet one. Filled with tears. And Hank consoling Erin, assuring her that Halstead was one of the bravest and strongest men he'd ever worked with. And he would be back before she knew it.

A/N; What did you think?

Please don't hate me. I promise you that it wont be so sad from here on in.

On a slightly happier note, how good was the last episode (despite the hiatus), from all angles, it was amazing, especially Linstead 3


	8. Chapter 8

Ch 8

In the two weeks that had past since Jay had left for Afghanistan, things had slowly gone back to normal at home and at the District, despite Jay not being there.

Erin had made peace with Jay being on active duty. Just as Jay had done so with him being away with Erin.

Erin had been appointed a new partner, one she had been ever so excited for, Burgess. They were like

Charlie's Angels, as Ruzek had called them.

Erin had been having a great time with Kim. Both finding a new found confidence within themselves from working together. Erin even letting Burgess drive. Their last case had been the most intense, yet heart racing. A series of extensive car chases through the back streets of downtown Chicago. And shootouts in warehouses, of which she had been extremely careful.

Although a lot of the Unit wouldn't admit it, they missed Jay too. It wasn't the same without him.

Jay had been doing as well as he could have expected given the circumstances. He hadn't seen much action, which he was glad about. It was more security and protection details for women and children.

At sixteen weeks, Erin had begun to show, but still as petite as ever. She didn't look like a lot of other women who were that far along but that was to be expected, her doctor had assured her that it was perfectly normal for someone of her level of fitness and body type. The rest of her body was still and taut and toned as before despite her growing abdomen and boobs.

It had been a bittersweet moment for her when she had finally begun to show. It made her ecstatic to be able to see her and Halstead's baby, growing inside her. But made her upset, he was supposed to be here. She knew this was the first of many moments like that, the things he would miss out on.

A huge grin was brought to her face that night as she heard the sound of her MacBook ringing whilst making dinner. Placing the knife down on the bench she sprinted across her hardwood living room floor to the ringing.

"Accept video chat from Jay Halstead?" The screen read. Erin giggled with excitement as she immediately clicked accept.

Jays face appeared, he was smiling that boyish grin, ear to ear. He sighed as her face appeared on his too.

"Erin. You have no idea how good it is to see you. I've missed you. Two weeks without seeing your face is two weeks too long." He was tired looking, his hair not styled as it usually was. He was a lot more rugged than usual, but it suited him. It was shorter than it was when he left. But there he was, the man she loved more than anything, dressed in his camoflague military uniform. And if that was all she could see of him, then she would be more than appreciative of that. "How are you? How is everything!?"

"Everything's great. We're great." Erin's nose crinkled as she smiled. That was one of the little mannerisms he loved, the way her nose crinkled when she smiled. She rubbed her stomach as she talked with him.

"How's my other baby?" He asked, his husky voice filled with excitement.

Erin pushed her chair out from the desk and stood up so Jay could see her upper body, turning her body side to side so he could see her properly.

Jay was somewhat speechless. She had changed so much yet so little. She seemed more confident in her body than usual, although she was never self conscious, she felt proud to show herself off. Her boobs were noticeably bigger, she had never really had much to begin with.

"You look so amazing baby. I can't believe how much you've changed in two weeks. How are you feeling?" He continued as Erin sat back down at the desk. "I feel great. No morning sickness. My boobs are huge, you have no idea. I actually had to go shopping yesterday to buy new bras."

Jay winked at her. "Damn. I only wish I could be there to cop a feel." He laughed, teasing her. He wanted to make light of the fact that he couldn't be there.

"You're disgusting. You know that!?" She shook her head, it was good to have a simple silly moment with him. She knew he wasn't being serious. It was what she needed. It was what he needed. "Anyway. The doctor says that this little guy is really healthy, developing as they should be. The doctor says I should start to be able to feel them move within the next month or so."

Jay stared at Lindsay with admiration, she had a hint of sadness in her eyes but he was rapt that she was so overjoyed with this pregnancy.

For two hours they talked about Jays new life in Afghanistan, his protection and security detail with the women and children of the villages. The massacres he had responded to a few days back at a school. He had confided to Erin about how it brought back horrific memories from his last tour.

Erin recounted the details of all the cases that they had investigated over the last two weeks. She told him about having Burgess as her new partner and how much she enjoyed it, though it wasn't like it was with him.

Erin relayed all the details about Burgess and Ruzeks upcoming wedding. It reminded her about how much she hated the unnecessary stress over weddings. Unfortunately, she had been drawn the short straw. Made of honour. Erin didn't mind, considering it was going to be quite a small wedding. But it was uncessary stress on Burgess, Ruzek and everyone else involved none the less.

They weren't getting married for another eight months but it felt like there was so much left to do before the actual day.

The two talked for another half an hour before Halstead was called into a meeting by his Sargeant.

"Baby. I gotta go. Duty calls. I'll talk to you again as soon as I can. I love you both." He grinned, leaning in close to the web cam and kissing it.

"I love you too Jay. Stay safe." Erin finished, blowing a kiss towards the webcam.

"Bye baby."

It had been three weeks since Jay and Erin had talked properly, he had written to her, just as she had done for him. Swamped with a hard hitting case regarding a nasty relationship between a woman and her step children.

So had Jay, there had been mass hysteria concerning a terror group targeting the shelters housing innocent families caught in the cross fire. There had been talk of the group conspiring to blow up their main shelter base.

Jay and his men had frantically been evacuating the shelter for the last two days. The whole base of almost one thousand people had to be moved, to an undisclosed location a hundred miles away into the desert.

Emotions ran high through the whole base, women, men and children, sobbing, inconsolable as they were separated from their loved one back to safety. It was a difficult mission, time consuming nonetheless. The two buses could only transport just over a hundred people between them.

Jay watched as one of his men filled the next bus for transport, a man and his pregnant wife and their four children awaited their turn to board the bus.

"Only three spots left on the bus, max five if we want to make use of the already crammed space." His friend and comrade Jesse told the family.

It was hard for all of the soldiers to watch on as they were forced to divide families. After all, they all had people they loved and missed back home.

Jay imagined himself in that same position. Him deciding to leave Erin and their child behind to ensure their safety, wondering if he would ever get to see them again.

He would make that choice. No hesitation. No questions asked.

Jesse tapped the side of the bus as it departed, when Jay heard it. The ever fateful noise that he hadn't heard in years, came back to him within a fraction of a second.

The cloud of fiery smoke and sand came closer ever second, growing louder and louder each time. However Halstead seemed to quickly lose his hearing as it cascaded forward.

Before he had time to think, let alone move, the bellowing sound of the bombs exploding throughout the shelter came closer and closer.

The terrified screams of the people left behind with him inside one of the dormitories filled his ears as the mixture of sand and the orange light blinded Halstead.

It was then that he lost sight of everything happening around him as his ears rung out and a crushing weight pinned him to the floor. Before every thing around him went black.

A/N: I hope I haven't upset you all too much. Let me know what you think. I am close to finishing the next chapter so it should be up in the next few days.

Let me know what you want more of


	9. Chapter 9

Jays ears rang out as he slowly yet painfully came to from the blast.

Jay felt himself overcome by the myriad of fear and horror. He struggled to open his eyes, as heavy as they felt. Full of dust and residue.

He was in agonising pain. He couldn't move. Pinned under something. A building column, maybe? His shoulder felt like it had been taken to with a sledge hammer, shattered into a million pieces.

Thousands of pieces of concrete. Glass. Metal. And wood surrounded Jay. The shrill of the radar alarms filled his already deafened ears. The petrified screams of those left behind could be faintly heard in the distance. He could the smell smoke burning a mile away. Filling his nostrils, causing him to choke.

He took a deep breath before coughing into his free hand. A thick red mucus stained his dusty dark green glove, as he cleared his throat.

The sight of the blood in his hand and the overwhelming pain that radiated throughout his whole body consumed Jay as his vision slowly blurred out into blackness.

Erin glared at the board that she and Dawson had just pinned together, rubbing her lower back with both hands. It was only in the last few days she started to feel the dreaded back pain that Nat had told her about.

It wasn't as bad as the day after Jay had made her try deadlifts at Antonio's gym last year, but it wasn't persistent unlike that of her deadlift induced back pain.

She hated not being able to see Jays face over the last few weeks, but his letters home were almost as good as seeing his perfectly chiseled face on her MacBook screen.

His letters made her feel like she was a high school girl with a crush on a jock that would never have noticed her. Erin had slightly slapped herself across the face, what was she thinking? She wasn't this person who got awfully

giddy and caught up in her own thoughts about a man.

But he wasn't just any man. He was Jay. And Jay wasn't just any man. He was her partner, who always had her back. Her boyfriend. And the father to their baby.

Maybe it was okay if she was to get caught up in it. Lately she had been hormonal and overly emotional, not in the way that women do in movies or television series. She had relaxed out a bit and had become a lot more open towards people, especially her team. She let her walls down. And leant on her team when she wasn't at her best.

She wondered if the fluttering that she could feel deep inside her swollen stomach was their baby finally moving within her, she hoped it was. She was ready to feel he or she really make themselves prominent in her life.

She was snapped out of her train of thought when Voight cleared his throat and began informing the team of the days case.

"Stefan Petering." Hank slammed a mans photo on the board. "And his wife Kaitlyn."

The team all adjusted themselves around the room so they could see and hear the overview of the case.

"The two have been holding up local supermarkets downtown, holding up employees and customers at gunpoint. Emptying all cash registers and the three money safes. These two have been positively identified as being at all three crime scenes, however there's not enough substantial evidence to prove they are behind it." Hank began.

"Mouse has wired their phones and there's been talk of them making a move on a Walmart next Friday. We will be going in undercover. Burgess will be posing as a customer. Lindsay, customer service manager. Dawson, will be a cleaner. Atwater and Ruzek will be shelf stackers. And Olinsky will be the store manager."

"Any questions!?"

Erin ran her fingers through her short choppy blonde-brown locks as she finished typing up her report from the last case.

It still shocked her at how disgusted she was by the 'humans' that she dealt with on a daily basis, but it satisfied her to know that herself and team included did everything they could to reduce the number of foul people that walked the earth.

She quickly glanced at the photo on top of her desk of her and Jay at Molly's the day the Intelligence unit had solved their first case. They had barely known each other for a fortnight but they were so pleased with how well they worked together and how easily they got along.

Jay had his left arm draped around Erin's shoulder, as she interlaced her fingers through his, her head slightly leaning on his shoulder. Both smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

She missed him more than anything. She missed him like she missed Nadia. It felt like he was never coming home. As quick as the last month had passed, it felt like it had dragged.

For the last two and a bit years, she had seen him or talked to him almost everyday. But for the last month, she had only seen him or talked to him only two times.

Pushing her chair out from the desk, she pulled her jacket on as well as her beanie, snuggle over her ears and made her way over to Hank's office.

Erin tapped her fingers lightly against the glass before entering Voight's office.

Erin leaned against the door frame and shoved her hands deep into her pockets.

"What's on your mind kid?" Hank asked, placing his pen down on his desk.

"I'm worried about Jay. It's been two weeks. And nothing but radio silence. No mail. No missed calls on Skype or anything. It's not like him to not try to contact me. I know he's so flat out but I just need to know he's okay."

Hank walked around his desk and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not going to tell you not to worry because I know you won't. I'm sure that everything's fine. I'll give it til Friday then I'll make some calls. Just try to relax okay? You know that stress isn't good for the baby." He finished and encircled Erin in his arms. Erin smiled weakly. "Thanks Hank. I know I'm just overthinking things."

It was Friday night and there was still no news from Jay. It had almost been three weeks since she had heard anything.

The team had finished up a little bit earlier that night than usual, for Burgess and Ruzek's engagement party.

Burgess had gone with Erin and Platt to get their hair and makeup done, as much as Erin hated it. She never wore more than a bit of mascara and foundation. But she didn't mind, it was for one night and one of her closest friends.

She tried one last time calling his international number and his Skype, unfortunately, to no avail.

Her mind was beginning to run rampant, there had to be something wrong, there's no way he wouldn't contact her for three weeks.

Deciding against her worst fears Erin slammed her MacBook shut and tossed it onto the couch. She had to get ready, the party started in less than an hour and Hank would be here in fifteen minutes to pick her up.

Sitting on their bed, Erin pulled off her dark wash jeans and jumper, and finished getting ready.

As Lindsay finished putting on her heels, her buzzer rang. It made her laugh to think at how organised herself and Hank were, they were practically in sync.

Hank stood in her doorway in his standard navy suit and white shirt, for as long as she had known him, he had always had that suit and worn it to any formal occasion that arose.

"Look at you. You look stunning Erin. Dark blue really suits you." Hank smiled, embracing her. "How's our little Halstead-Lindsay?"

"Hungry as always." She giggled, placing one hand over her stomach and shutting the door with the other.

The venue which Burgess and Ruzek has chosen was spectacular, it was simple yet modern, black white and grey being the colour palette.

Both Kim's parents and Adam's shared beautiful words about their children and how they couldn't be happier that they had found one another and had never been happier. Embarrassing stories were told and tears were shed, as their parents once again gave the other their blessing.

Atwater gave his best man speech for the engagement party, he kept it short and simple, and promised to leave the whole room in tears on the day of the wedding.

Just as Erin had to give her made of honour speech. Erin hated public speaking, which was one of the main reasons she had hated working in the task force last year. But for one of her best friends, she would.

Lindsay spoke about how grateful she was for her friendship with Kim, how many times she's saved her ass and how happy she was for Adam and her.

Before long speeches concluded, guests began to mingle once again, and music began to play, as couples slowly made their way to the dance floor.

Erin was exhausted, a huge case along with a restless nights sleep and a long night, that was still in progress had tired her out.

Erin played with her glass, her finger circling the rim. She just wanted to go home. Her train of thought was cut off when Hank approached her. "Feel like a dance with your old man?"

Looking up at him, she rolled her eyes. Lindsay knew she wouldn't be able to get out of dancing with him. "If you ever, tell anybody about this. I will personally drag you down to the cage, and if you're lucky, the silos." She joked, as he lead her to where everybody else was dancing.

"Have you heard anything back from your Rangers connections!?" Lindsay asked, her brows furrowed, her eyes full of concern.

"Not yet." He shook his head. "My guy said he'd get back to me first thing tomorrow. You'll know as soon as I do." The two continued dancing for a while, making small talk now and then as the music changed.

"Have you thought anymore about taking to Bunny?" Voight asked cautiously. Last week the two had run into Bunny whilst meeting with a CI at a bar near where Bunny was last known to be living after her divorce from Johnny.

It was 11am and like the countless times before, she had relapsed and reverted back her old ways, day drinking and popping pills again.

Deciding to wait in the car, Erin had left the bar. She didn't want to have to deal with Bunny, especially if she was to find out she was pregnant. Bunny would be all over Erin, telling her she had to let her back into her life. That she had a right to know her grandchild, but Erin wanted nothing more than for Bunny to be as far away from Jays and her family as possible.

"No. And I'm not going to change my mind. As much as I would love for this baby to know their grand parents, she does not get the privilege of knowing this little guy." Her mouth changing from a slight frown to a wide toothed smile, this baby had made her the happiest she had ever been, and she wasn't going to let Bunny change that.

After another ten minutes of dancing, Erin had just about had enough, her feet and back ached slightly and she was more than ready for bed. "I think I'm gonna call it a night Hank." Erin stated, tapping her hand to Hank's chest before wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Come on Er. What about one last dance with me!?"

Erin's arms dropped from around her pseudo-fathers shoulders, and froze. Her heart skipping a beat before beating harder and faster than before.

She had to be dreaming. It couldn't be. That voice, she would recognise in a room of a thousand people. That deep raspy voice was his. She felt her body break out on goosebumps. It was too good to be true.

Erin spun on her heels. Her eyes meeting with his, those piercing green blue eyes. His eyes.

"Jay."

"Hey Baby."

A/N: I hope you all love this as much as I did writing it. I promised you nothing bad would come of Jay being sent back to the army.

Still to come… Linstead fluff and deep/meaningfuls, an undercover stint by the whole squad and heaps of drama

5-10 reviews and Ill post the next chapter


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank you all for your amazing reviews, I'm even more inspired to keep writing when I see how much you all are enjoying this fic.**

 **This chapter is really long, I felt I should be nice after the last few chapters.**

"Hey Baby." He smiled sighing, his voice breaking, as if he was about to cry.

Erin launched herself into Jay. Holding him a sight as she could. He winced, her grip was too strong.

As she pulled back from him he stared at his girlfriend, looking her up and down. She had changed even more in the last two weeks since he had last seen her on their video chat.

Her bump was more than noticeable now, she was still tiny, her perfectly rounded stomach made Jay's heart swell. Her cheeks had filled out a little more since they had last seen each other too.

Was it possible that she was even more gorgeous than before he had left, her smile and happiness radiated out of her. The navy blue dress she wore clung to her body in all the right places, highlighting where their baby grew within her.

"What're you doing here!?" Erin squealed, her eyes filling with tears. Her hands cupping his bruised cheeks.

"I got discharged. Medical discharge." He announced, he knew her heart would break when he told her.

Erin have him a quick once over. He seemed fine physically, despite the dark circles under his eyes, and and the bruises that had almost disappeared from his face. And how he had winced when she had hugged him. She looked up at him waiting for an explanation.

"The-There." He looked like a haunted man, his eyes somehow changing from that piercing blue green she fell in love with to this dark disturbed look that glazed them over. "There was an accident. An attack. And everything around me was destroyed." He seemed to leave wherever he was just now in his head. Like he had been transported back there to that day.

Noticing his change in demeanour, Erin took his hand in hers and made their way out to the balcony of the venue, that overlooked the skyline.

They sat a the small set of chairs and table outside, Jay quickly removing his suit jacket and hanging it around Erin's shoulders. Taking her hands in his he began to tell her of what exactly had gone down for him to be sitting in front of her now.

She never commented or asked questions as he recounted what had happened, just listened to the terror that filled her boyfriends voice. "There was an accident. And my team was transporting all these families to another location. A safer location. All I remember is watching Jesse, one of my guys, loading the last of the women and children into this big bus. And the men of these families waving goodbye to their loved ones as they left. And then-then." He tried to continue, his face falling into Erin's shoulder.

"Baby. It's okay. You're okay. You don't have to talk about it." She soothed him, her hands rubbing up and down his shoulders. "No. I need to. I didn't want to talk to anyone there. All I could think of is being here with you, and telling you everything."

Erin sighed, as he squeezed her hands. "Then out of nowhere came this deafening noise. And cloud of smoke and sand and dust. And everything around me just exploded, the buses, our base camp, the shelter. Everything. And all I remember is waking up. Everything hurt. One of the cement columns in the shelter had collapsed and pinned me underneath it. I was lucky, only my shoulder was dislocated. And a few ribs cracked."

Erin looked at him in disbelief. It had only been two weeks since she had seen him last during their Skype chats, and so much had happened.

Words couldn't describe how Erin felt at the moment, she was so relieved that Jay was okay, but distraught at how the families of all of those lost in the blast must be feeling right now. All she wanted to do was hold Jay and take away his pain.

But she couldn't. As hard as she wished. She couldn't. All she could do was be there for him, whatever he needed. She would walk through fire for him if it meant he would be okay in the end.

Lindsay held Jays face in her hands, then pressed her lips against his. She had no idea how much she had missed this, that feeling that came from within her when they kissed.

"Can we get out of here?" He sighed, almost begging. Erin smiled weakly, and without speaking. He knew she wanted to as well.

The cab ride back to their apartment was long, a few traffic accidents had all of the main streets leading to their place blocked off. But they didn't mind.

Erin closed her eyes, her head resting against the window of the cab, listening to the sound of Jay's breathing and the rain patter down outside the car.

Jay sat with his head on Erin's shoulder, his hand resting gently on top of her bump. "I can't believe how big he's gotten since I've been gone. I was only gone a month." His smile had returned since rehashing the details of the attack. He was infatuated with touching his girlfriends stomach, it made him so happy to be home. He was overjoyed that he would be able to here to experience this. With Erin. His Erin. His girl. "You don't even know if it's a boy. I don't even know." She teased.

"I have the fatherly instinct." He continued. Halstead brought his hand up from her belly to her face, brushing a stray hair from her eyes. "God I missed you. The two of you. I love you so much Er."

"Ahh" Erin winced, holding the side of her stomach. "What's wrong!?" Jay panicked.

Erin started to giggle, placing both of her hands on the side of her stomach. Jay smiled as he watched her laugh, she had made him go into panic overdrive for a split second. "Feel this." She placed his left hand on the left side of her bump.

"I don't feel any-." He stopped, as he felt it, for the first time. The first kick. Jay looked up at Erin from under his eyelashes. "Oh wow. That is incredible. That's our boy." Erin put her hand next to his. "Today has been the most perfect day. Thank you."

"I'm so glad I got to come back to be here for this. To feel this."

After they had arrived home, Erin immediately took off her heels and started to take off her dress, changing into her pyjamas, Jay's 'The Clash' t-shirt.

"Jay. I need to ask you something." Erin began, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Why wasn't I notified after the attack." Her tone had changed immensely from when they were in the cab.

It had been on her mind ever since hey had sat out on the rooftop balcony at the engagement party, but she had never found the right moment to ask him.

"Because I asked them not to." He confessed, pulling on his sweats. His torso still a tad purple and blue from his broken ribs. He took a seat on the bed beside Erin, pulling her closer to him, his hand resting on her leg. "After it happened and I woke up in the infirmary, they asked me who I would like contacted as they had tried to call here and no one answered. And they don't leave messages, they prefer to actually speak with the families."

Erin nodded, as he told her the truth. "So they called the District and Hank answered the phone. You had already left the bullpen, so he took the call. And asked to speak with me. I told him not to tell you, because I know you would worry, and stress and I knew it wouldn't be good for the baby if you were all worked up. I told him that I would be home by today, and I wanted to surprise you."

Deep down, Erin wanted to be mad. She would have wanted to know as soon as possible if he was hurt. But she knew he was right, she would freak out and stress herself and the baby out.

"Well you definitely did. And as much as I hate to admit it, you're right. I would have been a mess and it wouldn't have been good for this little guy." She admitted to him.

Erin collapsed back onto the bed, Jay followed, his head on her chest. Erin kissed the top of his head. His hand lay next to his on to top of her protruding stomach.

Lindsay had been dreaming about this moment for so long, but she had pictured it differently. Her waiting at the airport for Jay with their newborn son or daughter. But this, was even better than she could have ever imagined.

"Hey there little one. It's your Dad." He kissed her stomach gently. "And your Mum and I love you, so much. We can't wait to meet you." The two detectives faces lit up as their baby started to kick profusely.

As they lay there in each other's presence, thoughts drifted through Jays mind, he was still so disturbed from what had happened in he last week with the attack, but his thoughts and worries were taken away as soon as he had laid eyes on his partner, best friend and girlfriend and felt their baby move and kick about.

Erin flipped Jay on his back carefully, and straddled him, her body hanging above his own, and began to pepper kisses all over his body and neck, she had craved him, just as he did her. "You have no idea how sexy you are Erin Lindsay." He cheekily grinned, his hands snaking up and down his body, grabbing her butt in the process.

"Detective Halstead, how dare you." She joked between rough kisses.

Erin lifted her shirt off exposing her naked body, it was the first time Jay had seen her like this since he had returned, his eyes took in every inch of Erin's tiny frame and her now protruding bump. "You have no idea how beautiful you look Er. I have craved this for so long." He said as he kissed her body.

"Oh I think I do baby. I've been craving this moment since you left that day." Lindsay sighed heavily, she hadn't been this turned on in her whole life, maybe the whole crazy-sex-pregnancy hormones thing Nat had told her about had finally kicked in.

She didn't care either way, if it was the hormones or not, she wanted Jay so badly. No, she needed him. As he needed her.

The scene from that day last week replayed in Jay's head. Just as it had every night since it happened.

Only this time, he could see the faces if the people getting on the bus, Erin, and their baby, Will, his Mum and Dad, and his entire team from Intelligence.

He knew how this scene ended, like it did every night. He couldn't scream, he would open his mouth to tell them to run, and not get on the bus, but no words ever escaped his lips. Just as his legs would never carry him towards what was about to unfold, time and time again.

The bus drove off into the sun, leaving a haze of sand behind it. And then it happened, again. And again and again. And all he could do was watch, as everyone he loved and cared for was blown into oblivion.

"ERIN!ERIN!" Jay yelled at the top of his lungs, waking himself up. He shot up in bed, shaking, covered in a cold sweat.

Erin immediately woke to the sound of Jays voice filling the apartment. "Jay. Baby." She took him in her arms, his whole body collapsed into her, as he burst into tears, he heaved and sobbed, as Erin tried to soothe him. "It's just a dream. I'm right here, okay?"

She held for what felt like hours, he had lost it completely, he was mentally and emotionally distraught. After some time, his sobs finally subsided. "What happened baby?" Erin whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

"It was the same nightmare I keep having ever since the attack. But this time, you and everyone else I love was on the bus. And then it-" Jay faltered. He couldn't speak those words.

"It's going to be okay. You're going to get through this. We will. Together. Okay?"

 **A/N: I hope you all loved this. Please keep the reviews coming. It means a lot to read and see much this story is enjoyed by you all**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks for everyone who consistently reviews, it means a lot knowing that people are still interested in this story and keeps me motivated.

_  
It had been three weeks since Jay had come home. Three amazing yet extremely difficult weeks.

Every night Jay would wake up screaming, drenched in sweat, after having that same dream. Watching everyone he loved and cared for killed before his eyes.

It had been heartbreaking for Erin to watch Jay fall apart in the middle of the night as he violently woke from the nightmare.

Erin knew how much it helped him to just lay there and be there with him as he went back to sleep.

It was a side she had never seen of him, he let himself be vulnerable in front of her, let himself fall apart and break into a million pieces. He had tried to tell her all that had happened on all three of his tours.

All the terror, destruction and death. Everything he and Mouse had gone through together that he would have refused to have spoken about this time last year. Especially the incidents regarding the children's shelter on his second tour with Mouse. The one he had snapped at Mouse about after the case of Brian and Bryan Johnson, and how the innocent mans son was executed.

Erin had treaded carefully when she had suggested that maybe he should consider talking to Dr Charles. He had been such a help to her after her 'sabbatical', and although she was reluctant at first, he had really helped her come to terms with a lot that she had never really dealt with.

Jay found it easier to talk freely about his nightmares and Tetris when Erin was there, so when Voight would allow her to take off early., she made use of her opportunity to help out her boyfriend.

Unfortunately, today wasn't one of those days, Erin was knee deep in typing up witness statements from earlier that day, and she would be lucky if she were to make it out in time for her obstetricans appointment.

Jay had just come from interviewing a witness for the case they were currently trying to solve, he sat patiently in Dr Charles' office waiting for him to join him.

Before long, Dr Charles entered his office and took a seat in front of Jay in the light grey sofa chair. "Jay. Good to see you. How is everything with you and with Erin?"

Jay smiled weakly. "I haven't been doing too bad. Nightmares are still occurring but not as vivid as last fortnight when we last spoke. Erin's really been helping, she's so supportive. It makes it so much easier."

"So, last session we talked about your family. And life growing up and your first two tours. How about we talk about this most recent one and Erin today?" He suggested, pulling out his notebook. "Why don't we begin talking about why this tour felt so different than the last?"

Jay relaxed in his position on the black sofa. "Well, I guess after the trauma and suffering I went through after my second tour, I always knew I didn't want to go back. But I knew I had originally signed up for three when I first started. So I didn't really have a choice. And it terrified me when I got that letter again, because everything I hadn't found time for, I had found it, and everything in my personal life was finally on track, with Erin and the baby. And knowing I had to leave them here, killed me. This was something that I was supposed to be here for."

"So you felt like you perhaps failed Erin, because you had her leave her here alone?" Daniel pressed.

"Yeah I guess so. Erin's always been my partner, and we've always had each other's back. And then when I got called back, I felt like I wasn't able to protect her anymore. And not just her, the baby too. How could I protect them from all the crims, thousands of miles away?" Jay finished, playing with the loose thread in his jeans, before looking up at Charles who was finishing writing notes into his book.

"Jay. Correct me if I'm wrong. But I think that this recurring nightmare isn't PTSD but simply feeling guilty or feeling like you have a lack of control in protecting the lives of those who you love most. Your mother, your father, Will, Erin and the baby. Maybe you feel powerless? Like there's only so much you can do to keep them safe."

Jay felt as although an immense weight had been lifted off his shoulders when Dr Charles had told him what he thought was 'wrong' with him. "Yeah. I guess I never really thought of it in that way."

Daniel began pulled his thin rimmed glasses off his face, "My advice would be to take a load off, and stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Have a talk with Erin. And go over what we just talked about today, I'm sure she'll agree with me."

Jay smiled and chuckled quietly, he knew Erin would agree with Dr Charles. She already did. She was forever telling him that he needed to stop being such a martyr, he went above and beyond for everyone he loved. And that he needed to start looking after himself more.

"Thank you Dr Charles." Jay thanked, shaking his hand. "Anytime Jay. And say hello to Erin for me." Jay nodded in reply before leaving Dr Charles' office.

He made his way to the elevator on Dr Charles' floor, down to the obstetrics department. _

Jay found Erin in the waiting room, her head buried in a crumpled waiting room magazine. Her hair falling over her face, covering her thick rimmed RayBan glasses. "Erin." Jay called out.

She looked up at him, and smiled. "Hey there!" She struggled as pushed herself up and out of her chair. "How was your session?"

Jay kissed her forehead, "It went really well actually. Lots to talk about. But not here. Let's focus on this little guy right now." He told Erin, glancing down at her stomach.

Erin felt a sigh of relief, each time he had come home from a session, he would reply with, it was fine. Really well, was a huge step up from fine. And she could see it in his eyes, something in that session had changed him.

"So if you look carefully, there's the arms. The legs and the head." The sonographer pointed out on the screen, "And the arms are just here." She continued pointing towards the top middle part of the screen.

Lindsay stretched up and looked up at where she was pointing. "That's incredible. I can't believe there's actually a real person growing in there." She smiled, looking at Jay.

"Yeah and now you actually look like you're having a baby not just over indulged on sweet potato fries at the Purple Pig." Jay chuckled. Erin snorted lightly, before punching him softly in the arm.

The sonographer laughed at the two. It was always good to see couples who didn't take themselves so seriously.

"So at the moment your baby weighs about a pound and can hear sounds, especially your voices. And can recognise bright lights, if you were to shine a light on your stomach, the baby will start to react by moving or kicking about. Did either of you having any questions or concerns Erin or Jay?"

Erin sat up, pulling her shirt down. "Actually yeah there is." Jays gleaming smile was quickly wiped from his face, he was concerned to say the least.

"Lately, I've been experiencing some uhh, lets just say 'mood' swings to say the least. I don't know if it's normal or not." Erin giggled nervously. "I just feel so, turned on all the time. On a whole new level. Like I never experienced before."

Jay burst into a fit of laughter, unable to control himself. Here he was thinking Erin was worried about something potentially serious, only to realise she was overly concerned about her increased sex drive. Not that he was complaining, he had quite enjoyed Erin's increased sex drive over the last few weeks since he had been home.

"Erin. I can assure you that this is perfectly normal. Even being attracted to people you never thought you would be, like friends or strangers in the street. Being increasingly turned on and attracted to your partner is very common, and great for your relationship, among other things." She assured her, before wishing them well with the next few weeks

until their next check up.

"Well that was embarrassing to say the least." Erin muttered under her breath as they walked to their respective cars. "For you maybe." Jay smirked, placing a hand on her waist.

Tingles ran up and down Erin's spine, and bit her lip in the process. "And you having your hand on my waist right now is not helping."

"This is going to be fun." Jay joked, "I'll see you at home little rabbit." He winked, jumping into his car.

_  
Erin skipped up the stairs to the bullpen, buzzing herself in as she ascended the stairs.

Jay had let her sleep in that morning and headed to the gym before work, she had barely slept as it was, and little Halstead the acrobat had been tossing about all night as she tried to sleep.

She was early. She liked to be early to prepare for the day ahead. Read and research all she needed for the case. Adam greeted her as he exited the lunch room, holding a cup of steaming coffee in his hands. "Morning Lindsay."

"Hey Adam. What've we got for today?" Erin asked entering the lunch room, pouring herself a cup also. Just the smell itself made her more alert.

Ruzek leant up against the door frame. "Another incident at a Battered Women's Shelter like the one last year. The shelter was gassed with nitrous last night. First woman woke this morning to another woman and her daughter who have since gone missing. We head out when the rest of the team gets here."

These were the kinds of cases that Erin hated, but loved solving, knowing that in the end she and her team would be able to help those who were once like her. Living in a safe house, in a battered women's shelter.

A/N: I love reading all the reviews, almost done the next chapter, maybe 5 reviews and I'll post the next one?

On another note, how was CPD tonight!? Amazing episode despite the disturbing story unfolding. ANDDDDDD SKINSTEAD ANDDDDD BROMAN OMG


	12. Chapter 12

Jay looked up at Erin from his desk. Her brows furrowed, her eyes filled with hate and anger. Words couldn't describe how she felt about this case.

Halstead's train of thought was cut off by Voight's clearing of his throat. "Olinsky. Lindsay. Go talk with the ex-husband. He's got a clean record, not even a late library book." Erin nodded, pulling on her coat and beanie. Winking at Jay, as she followed Al down the stairs.

It was strange for Erin to sit in the passenger seat. She could never get comfortable. It wasn't like the drivers seat. But she knew she would never win in an argument with Al over who would drive. He was more controlling than she was when it came to driving.

Olinsky and Erin ascended the stairs to Matthew Garratt's house. "Matthew Garratt. Chicago PD." Erin yelled smashing her first against the door.

"Mr Garratt. Open the door." Al yelled, following the silence. "We just wanna talk!"

A late twenties, clean shaven man, dressed in a grey tailored suit. Answered the door, cup of coffee in hand. "Can I help you!?" He asked, confused.

"Detective's Lindsay and Olinksy. Do you have a moment to talk about Jess Hamer and your daughter?" Erin introduced, flashing her badge.

"What is this regarding?"

"Why don't we go inside, huh?" Al asked, motioning towards the entrance.

Al took a seat across from Matthew in the living room as Erin paced around, looking at the photos about the room. "Mr Garratt, when was the last time you were in contact with your ex wife?" Erin asked, looking at a an old family photo of the three of them, Matthew, Jess and Spencer.

"Last week. Before I left for a conference in New York. I got back late last night, early this morning. Why? Has something happened to them?"

"Are you aware that your ex wife and daughter are living in a Battered Women's Shelter?" Olinsky continued.

"I am aware. I was never given all the details. I wasn't allowed. All she could tell me was that she and Spencer needed to be put into protection after a relationship with some guy went haywire." Garratt confided.

"How long have you and Jess been divorced?" Lindsay questioned, taking a seat next to Matthew. "Almost two years. We got married after we graduated high school. And we were always on and off. Our personalities clashed, too much the same." Erin quietly laughed to herself, she knew what that was like, having clashing personalities with the person you love. Being the same kind of person. Needing to be in control. But somehow they made it work.

"Working hours that meant we never got to be together. After Spencer was born, we really tried to make it work but we didn't want her being burdened by our inability to make it work. And it's been for the best. We've never been so functional to be honest." The man finished.

"Mr Garratt. Your ex wife and daughter are missing. They were taken from the shelter where they were living last night, maybe early this morning. Is there anyone who can confirm your whereabouts?" Erin asked, suspicious of the man in front of her.

"I was on the red eye. My flight landed at 1:45am. I can get you my itinerary. And you an check with the airport also. I'll do anything. Please find my baby girl. She's the world to me." He pleaded.

The rest of the team followed up any leads they could on Jess Hamer and her daughter, from old employers and colleagues, friends, and her family.

Dawson and Halstead had managed to access the security footage from the Shelter, after hours of trying to cut through the red tape.

"Just got off the phone from Lindsay. The ex-husband checks out. CCTV footage shows a man, breaking into the shelter at approximately 12:54am. Garratt's flight didn't land until 1:45. Airport security footage shows him exiting the terminal just after 2am. She did say that Garratt had mentioned an ex that had something to do with them being put into protection."

Jay pushed his seat out and made his way over to the board, pinning a photo of Jess's ex-boyfriend onto it. "Dawson and I spoke with Jess's mother. She says that Jess had been in a relationship with one Chris Jenkins for the last year. Picture perfect couple until he was involved in a work accident. He became aggressive and abusive."

The gate buzzed downstairs, Al and Erin both making their way upstairs to the bullpen. The two sat at their desks, trying to catch up on what they had missed.

"He put both Jess and Spencer in the hospital. Spencer suffered life threatening injuries. Jess put out a restraining order. Which he violated on numerous occasions. So Jess moved into a Battered Women's Shelter for protection."

Mouse had tried to ping his phone but to no avail. So everybody rolled out to the address. Smashing in doors, clearing rooms to the house belonging to Jenkins that looked like it had never been lived in.

Voight's phone buzzed as they all headed back to their cars. "What've you got Mouse?." The team stopped in their tracks, awaiting what Mouse was telling Voight on the other end.

"Jenkins phone lit up. He's headed towards Lake Ellyn Park. I want everybody on his trail. Get as close as you can. Don't scare him. If he has Spencer. We want her. Need her to be alive."

"Anything on Jess?" Atwater questioned. Voight shoved his phone back into his pocket. "Joggers found a body about a half hour ago in Lincoln Park. In the bushes. Burgess and Roman, ID'ed the body as Jess."

A somber sigh filled the silence. "Spencer is our priority." Voight demanded, as himself and Al jumped into their cars.

"You wanna drive?" Jay asked, a smug grin on his face. He knew the answer before even asking the question. "Not today." Erin sighed, throwing her keys to Jay.

Jay sped out of the car park. The tyres screeching as he did so. "Everything okay Er?".

She nodded, placing one hand on his thigh as he drove, the other on the left side of her belly. "Yeah. Just a little sore and uncomfortable today. This little one won't stop playing soccer inside of me." She groaned, then smiled, as the baby started to kick again where she placed her hand.

"You know. There's a lot of perks to you being pregnant. Especially the sex, but you know, me being able to drive comes pretty darn close." Jay laughed cheekily, as he continued to speed down the freeway towards Lake Ellyn Park.

Voight and Dawson decided that it would be best to have everyone split up and search for Jenkins. When they had arrived, his car was parked on the curb, the engine still hot.

Erin helped Jay put on and tighten

his Kevlar vest. He loved it so much when she was the one to put it on for him. Just as he did for her. "I think someone's Kevlar is getting a bit snug Lindsay." He smirked, as he finished tightening her vest.

"You wish." Erin scoffed, punching his arm. "I've easily got another month."

"Be careful. Okay?" Jay whispered into her hair. He would have to go with Al and get o the highest point of the lake with the best wide view to take a shot if needed.

Erin and Kim had taken the east side of the lake, whilst Atwater and Roman took the north, Ruzek, Voight and Dawson taking the south and west.

"Anybody see or hear anything?" Kim asked over her radio. Herself and Erin walked slowly around the tracks, each covering for the other. Their guns held out in front of them.

The sound of a screaming child cried out over their radios. "We've got him." Roman informed. "He's on the north side headed towards the Boat House."

Erin slammed her gun back into its holster, as did Kim and ran towards the boat house, it wasn't far from where they had ended up following the trail to.

Erin's body filled with adrenaline as her feet hit the stone track, the stones crunching under her feet.

"Chicago PD. Don't move." Kim yelled, as she approached the man, keeping a safe distance, her gun raised.

The sounds of stones crunching became louder and louder as the rest of the team made it to the boat house.

Jenkins grabbed Spencer in his arms, she squirmed at his tight grip. "Get back or I blow her brains all over this dock!" He demanded, holding a pistol to her forehead. The toddler in his arms began to cry. She didn't understand what was happening.

"Jenkins. Stop right there." Voight added, holding his hands out in front of him, his gun firmly in its holster.

"I meant what I said. I got no problem making her fish food." He laughed, in a creepy psychotic kind of tone.

"Everybody fall back." Dawson cautioned. Everybody followed the orders, taking a few steps away from Jenkins.

He was surrounded. He had nowhere to go. He had to surrender.

Halstead and Olinksy had found their point of range, the lookout tower on the other side of the lake. The two of them looking down the focus point of their guns.

"Let me talk with him. I can get that little girl back safely. I promise." Dawson inquired. Voight gave his trademark nod of approval.

Antonio took a slow step closer to the man, unloading his gun and placing it on the ground. "I'm Detective Dawson. Why don't you drop that weapon Mr Jenkins and let's talk?"

"This is none of your business. She stole Spencer from me. I loved her like a daughter. And she took her from me after my accident. She said I was a flight risk, like I'm some kind of basket case." He sobbed, the picture of a broken man.

"You're making a mistake. It doesn't have to be this way. Spencer shouldn't have to pay for this. She's an innocent little girl. She has her whole life ahead of her." Dawson negotiated, he could see the mans angry facade begin to chip away.

"Nothing you do can change what you've done but you can use that gun and cause more tragedy than you have already. Or you can let her go. If you really loved and cared for her you would let her go right now."

Jenkins carefully put Spencer back onto the ground. Spencer cried and her whole body shook. She just wanted her Mom. "Spencer. He's going to let you go. Can you run to me?" Dawson asked, his arms outstretched. The little girl nodded, her white blonde curls bouncing as she did so. "She doesn't deserve this. Toss the piece. Let her go."

He released his grip on Spencer, she fled from his hold, as fast as her little legs could carry her into Antonio's arms. Covering her. Protecting her.

As Dawson turned his back protecting Spencer, Jenkins raised his gun towards him. Pulling the trigger.

"Antonio!" Ruzek yelled out. Dawson threw himself on top of the little girl as a loud gunshot rang out. Shivers ran down his spine.

He looked up to see Jenkins body on the dock, blood seeping from his head.

"Are you okay? Is she okay?" Erin yelled running towards them both. Ruzek following, checking that Jenkins was in fact dead.

"Nice shot Olinksy." Halstead complimented over the radio.

"Can you take me to see my Mommy?" The three year old asked, her eyes pleading. "We'll see what we can do. Let's get you checked out first huh?" Erin reassured her.

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Apologies for the lack of Linstead but you will be grateful in the next few chapters


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Please keep the reviews coming. I love reading and hearing your thoughts about this story.

Hermann poured the three men a glass of single malt whiskey. "This ones on her." He chuckled pointing to a tall brunette in the back of Molly's. "She wants your number." He smiled motioning onwards Mouse.

"My boys finally becoming a man." Jay teased, patting Mouse on the back.

"How come nobody ever buys me a drink?" Will complained, although he didn't mind. He was perfectly happy with his life with Natalie and Owen. "It's probably because they're turned off by your red hair little leprechaun." Jay teased further, stuffing his brothers head.

"You seem to be in a good mood." Will prompted.

To be honest he was feeling a little buzzed, something to do with the many glasses of whiskey himself, his brother and best friend had downed. But he was feeling almost 100% again. Almost himself again.

"I am in a good mood. I'm starting to feel like myself again." Jay confessed, a cheesy grin wiped across his face.

"How's everything going anyway? The sessions with Charles, I mean." Will questioned, taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Not bad. I think the worst of it is over. Nightmares have almost disappeared. Gunshots aren't sending me into a panic. Getting back into normal routine again. And Erin and I are almost us again." He didn't want to go into details with his best friend and his brother but he did want to be honest with them. He really was doing well. The weight he used to feel was getting lighter and lighter every day.

"Speaking of... How is the ever charming Erin?" Mouse asked. Mouse always called her charming because she was, once you got to know her. But her rough and tumble persona and her tendency to be potty mouth, made strangers think otherwise.

"She's great. Happier than I've ever seen her. The baby's doing well. He's getting bigger every day." He beamed.

"Happy for ya man." Will congratulated. "On a sour note though, how's that case today? Nat gave a me run down after she checked out Spencer. Poor kid. She's gotta grow up without her Mom. And carry the last few days with her for the rest of her life."

"I'm just glad we got to her in time. I wouldn't want to imagine what that father would have gone through if he lost them both." Mouse sighed.

Platt and Lindsay at sat across from Voight in his office, Spencer asleep on the couch behind them.

The trio had spent the last two hours trying to find a placement home for Spencer whilst the case was being finalised. It would have been optimal for her to go with her father if he weren't about to board a flight to Georgia for another conference.

It was getting late, and the availabilities for placement were slim to none. The only options were sketchy and neither of them wanted to risk her being put into an unstable and unsafe home for the sake of placement.

"Jay and I will take her. Even if it's just for a night or two until her Dad gets back from Georgia." Erin piped up.

Voight shot a worried glance at Trudy. "I don't know Erin. I'm not sure I can pull that kind of favour again." Platt apologised. She knew Spencer would be cared for with Jay and Erin, but she had to pull numerous strings the last time Erin had wanted to bring a child home with her.

"Why don't I make a couple of calls instead?" Voight suggested. "A guy at DCFS owes me a favour. I'll see what I can do." He finished, as he began to dial the guys number.

Trudy shifted from the chair to the edge of the couch where Spencer slept peacefully. The girl had begun to stir as they debated what they would do with her.

"When can I go home?" The little girl asked, still half asleep, rubbing her eyes. "When your Daddy gets back from Georgia." Trudy smiled, running her hand through the girls hair. "Where do I sleep then?" She asked.

Erin exchanged a worried glance with Trudy, just before Hank walked back into his office. "All taken care of. Just until her Dad gets back to town."

It surprised both Voight and Erin that the toddler was still asleep, only stirring every now and then when they talked a little too loud.

Voight invited Erin over for dinner seeing as Jay was out with Will and Mouse. Deciding between the two of them to attempt to make Camille's "famous lasagne". They had tried on multiple occasions, following the recipe to a tee. To no avail, it was still delicious, but something always seemed to be missing, it never tasted like it did when she had made it when her and Justin were kids.

Erin helped Hank chop the vegetables and prepare the rest of the meal. "How's Justin doing? Haven't heard from him in a while."

Hank scrapped the chopped vegetables into the pan with the meat, "Not too bad from what I've heard. Daniel's giving him and Olive hell. Refusing to sleep through the night. He's going back to school to study carpentry. Olive's working a few days a week down at the clinic. They're doing really well for themselves."

Erin smiled to herself. She was truly happy for Justin. It was so good to hear that he was on track in all aspects of his life. Like herself, he'd dug a hole for himself, almost a little too deep. But he'd made it out. Just as she did.

"And what about you. How are you doing? You and Jay, and this little one."

Erin helped him pour the sauce over the layers of lasagne sheets. "Jays doing really great. He's almost his normal self again. Nightmares are rare. His sessions with Dr Charles are really helping him. He's come a long way since he came back. He had me really worried for a while. We're almost back to us again."

She took a seat on the lounge chair opposite the couch where Spencer slept, cupping her tea in her palms. "What I really want to know is how you are." Hank stated, emphasising the you in his sentence. "Little Miss I'm always on a Martyr streak."

Hank loved Erin like a daughter, he always had felt some sort of connection to her ever since they had crossed paths when she was a teenager. He wasn't worried about her, he was just concerned. She was putting all her energy into Jay getting his mental health back on track. And them being 'Erin and Jay' again. On top of her always being fully focused and committed to her job. "And don't give me that I'm fine crap either."

Erin rolled her eyes at him. "I'm tired. A lot of the time. But I'm really good. This little guy is coming along beautifully. Just over half way." She glanced down at her stomach, tracing circles where he or she had kicked.

The two sat in silence for a while as they waited for the oven to buzz. Today had taken it out of them.

"Have you talked to Bunny at all?" Hank asked hesitantly. He hated Bunny, but he felt for Erin. This was a moment in her life she was supposed to enjoy with her mother. "No. And I'm not going to. She's tried to destroy my life too many times. She poisons everything she touches. And I'm not going to let her do the same to our baby."

Erin kept her gaze on her belly, resting her hands where they kicked. She didn't want to look at Hank, she wished she could share this with her mother. She just couldn't risk putting herself back into that place again. Mentally. Emotionally. She didn't want to put Jay through that again. And she didn't want to anything that would put their baby in harms way.

Hank served up himself and Erin dinner, and began to dig in. "You know Camille would have loved to have been here for this. She'd be so proud of you."

"She would be proud of all of us three. You. Justin. And me. You and her. You two are the reason I'm sitting here right now. Exactly where I want to be at this time in my life. I can't thank you enough."

"And we still haven't managed to perfect her lasagne."

"One day maybe." Erin laughed.

The rest of the night was spent watching old home movies, going through photo albums, and talking about their days as a family after Erin had been taken in.

The apartment was dark, and slightly cool when Jay arrived home from Molly's with Will and Mouse. Erin wasn't home yet. It was likely she had fallen asleep at Hank's.

It had been a big day for everyone. Especially that little girl Spencer. He hoped that Platt and Erin had found a safe home and family for her until her Dad came home in a few days time.

He wouldn't wish today's events on his worst enemy. He didn't want to imagine what it would be like to grow up without a mother, especially from such a young age.

Days like today made him think about his family. Especially his Mom. It had only been a few years. But he missed her. He wished she could have been around to meet Erin and see how far he'd come since his first tour in Afghanistan.

He continued to make his way through the apartment, flicking on lights as he moved towards their bedroom. He was exhausted, peeling off his clothes layer by layer he made his way to the shower.

Throwing on a pair of sweats and a tshirt, Jay planted himself on the couch, and turned on the TV. Flicking through the channels to find something remotely interesting to pass the time until Erim came home or let him know she would be staying at Hank's.

Settling on the Hannibal series, he watched intently. Him and Erin had tried to watch it a few months back to no avail. Never making through half of an episode before they ended up being more preoccupied on the couch, either one of them falling asleep or getting called out to a crime scene.

He tried to fight the exhaustion. Drifting off every few minutes. Waking up and realising he had missed a somewhat important part of the episode he was watching.

Sleep had almost overcome him when he heard Erin's key in the door. She closed the door quietly, not wanting to wake Jay up if he was asleep.

He laughed to himself as he watched her tiptoe through to the living room, to find him awake rather than asleep, Only she wasn't alone.

Dark circles hung under Erin's hazel eyes. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun, her fringe all over the place. As well as the new addition, the white blonde toddler, sound asleep on her hip.

"Hey Baby." She whispered, shifting Spencer's weight from one side to the other. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."

"I wanted to wait until I knew whether you were coming home at not. If you didn't know already, you're kind of important to me Erin Lindsay."

Erin giggled at his smart ass remark, "You know, I sorta like you too." Jay took the little girl from Erin, pulling off her silver sparkly shoes and cradling her into the crook of his shoulder and side. Erin proceeded to kick off her boots, throwing down her hand bag and pulling her coat off her shoulders.

"So?" Jay began, moving Spencer in between both him and Erin, snuggling around Erin's shoulder.

Erin pulled her hair out from the bun, letting her hair fall out. "Platt and I tried as hard as we could to find a place for her. But it was so late in the day and the only people left to take her were a little too sketchy for my liking. And besides, she's adorable. And She deserved to go home with people who will really love and care for her."

"And let me guess. Voight called in a favour from one of his DCFS buddies?"

"That. And he said we could use the practice." Erin patted her stomach with her other hand. "How was your guys night?"

"Pretty mellow. Few whiskeys here and there. A few good chats about you and our little guy. and Natalie and Owen, and today's case. And-" Jay hesitated, playing with a loose thread on Erin's jeans. Jay cleared his throat. "And how I'm doing now since I got home."

Erin ran her hands through Jay's hair. "And what did you tell them?"

"The truth. That it was pretty bad when I first got home. But I'm getting there. I'm doing better, everyday." Erin leaned towards Jay, and pressed her lips against his. "I'm proud of you baby. More than you know."

Jay softly caressed Erin's cheek, her head resting on Jay's shoulder. He was so grateful to have her in his life. The three of them laid on the couch, snuggled. In silence. Today hadn't exactly gone well. But for him. And for Erin. It had sure ended well.

A/N: If I can get ten reviews by tomorrow, I'll post the next chapter straight away. Much love and Linstead


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry for the late update. Hope you all enjoy!

Last week the day had finally come. The day Jay was excited for to say the least. Ad the day Erin had dreaded. She had begged him. Pleaded for him to compromise.

As she had done with the rest of Intelligence. To get at least one person on her side, instead of Jay's. But no one would budge. Not because they felt obliged to agree with Jay but rather because they knew it was for the best.

The day had begun like any other. Erin and Jay being late as usual. Much like the rest of the unit. Coming in, in dribs and drabs. Mostly, due to their incessant need to grab a coffee on their way in. One that wasn't made from the instant poison that stores sold. Something that would keep them going for the day ahead.

A call had come in regarding a club that housed underaged missing girls and boys, to be used as child sex workers and guinea pigs to the new shipment of drugs that had recently been imported.

Everybody and their partners met downstairs, at the back entrance to get suited up and ready to raid the club and rescue the children bein housed underground.

Earpieces and radios. Checking that their guns were still in working order. Loading up on extra bullets. And most importantly, ensuring that their Kevlars were properly fitted and tightly done up.

Just as they did every time they went out on a bust or hostile situation, Erin helped Jay with his, then he did so with her. That's when it happened.

"Take your time why don't you Halstead?" Erin sighed, still holding her hair up whilst he tried to put on her vest. "I wouldn't have a trouble trying to get this vest on if it actually fit you." He laughed, excitement in his voice.

Erin turned on her heels to face Jay. "Liar. I don't believe you. It fit on Friday when we went out to that bust on Deerborn."

Halstead raised his hands up in defence. "Don't believe me? Ask anybody else here and they'll tell you the exact same thing. I can't get this thing done up."

Ruzek jumped up and down like a kid wanting to jump to the front of the line on a fair ride. "I will gladly accept this offer." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Everybody had huddled around to watch Ruzek attempt to do up Erin's vest. They all knew he had no chance, besides Atwater, Halstead was the strongest in Intelligence. But they would let him try if it made him feel good.

Erin tried every position she could to try and get her vest done up, even going as far as trying to suck her stomach in if it meant she could go on this bust.

Ruzek shook his head. "Sorry Lindsay no can do."

Erin groaned, in both anger, frustration and disappointment. But who was she kidding, she and Jay both knew the chances of her vest doing up today was slim to none. But she didn't want to admit it, at her appointment on the weekend when her doctor had measured her waist, she was almost two inches bigger than she was at her last appointment.

Jay stepped forward in front of the whole group, his hands outstretched. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Let it be known that this day in January. Detective Erin Lindsay is officially on desk duty until further notice."

Laughter and applause filled the back dock, mostly just to tease Erin, because they knew she couldn't stand the idea of being on desk duty.

"Yeah come on. Get it all out. Just remember whatever you dish out now. There will be hell to pay once this baby is born." Erin played along with them, and pulled off her vest, hanging it back on its hook.

Like any other day at Chicago Med, there was an overload of trauma patients coming into the ER. The doctors and nurses as usual, were flat out. From patient to patient, department to theatre, to surgery, to floor to floor, and meeting to meeting.

Maggie was in a meeting with Dr Goodwin, April was holding the fort down, rummaging between files and juggling patients.

"Excuse me?" A middle aged man asked, leaning over the desk. He was noticeably not a patient, not injured or hurt in anyway, despite his blue lips, from the freezing temperatures outside. Most likely something to do with the lack of clothes he was wearing. Jeans, a dark coloured t-shirt and zip up hoodie.

"I'll be with you in just a minute." April replied flustered, not looking up at the gentlemen, as she finishing signing off on a patients forms.

Screams and cries filled the ER. "He's got a gun!" Somebody screamed from behind April. She jumped up hastily, taking a step back and raising her hands. "I need to speak with Dr Rhodes. Now." He demanded, the gun shaking in his grip.

"He's not in yet." April spoke nervously, her voice breaking. "I don't care what it takes. You get him here. Or I start shooting people. One by one. I have plenty of bullets. And time." The man took a step around into the reception desk, planting the gun firmly against April's chest.

"I'll call him. I'll get him here." April was crying now, dialling the number through the tears, barely able to hold the phone.

"You've reached Connor. You know what to do."

April shook her head. "He didn't answer." Her hands still raised in defence.

He glared at April then to her name badge. "You know what I hate most about doctors and nurses and hospitals Miss Sexton?" She couldn't find the words to reply.

"The broken promises that never seem to end. And I'm done with it."

Everything that happened in the next few moments passed in a blur, all blending into one.

A loud shot rang out through the ER. A blood curdling scream leaving April's lips as she fell to the ground, clutching at her shoulder, blood pouring out of her as she writhed in pain.

"Get me Dr Rhodes. Or I start shooting more people. And this time. I won't be so careful with my aim."

The freezing January temperatures of Chicago frosted over the bedroom window. Snow sticking to outside window sill.

It was days like these that the whole team wished they didn't have to go into work as much as they loved their jobs. They wished they could stay at home, in the warmth of their own homes, with their loved ones.

Erin tore herself away from Jay's sleeping embrace around her, turning to face him. Stirring, he moved onto his back, mumbling something about scrabble.

Erin propped herself up, her head resting on Jay's chest, her fore finger tracing his jawline.

She was going to miss being out in the field with him, and their team. Being his back up. Covering for him. Being that extra set of eyes.

"Stop worrying." His still half asleep voice croaked. "You're eyes aren't even open. And until a few minutes ago you weren't even awake."

"I know you Erin Lindsay. Even with my eyes closed. And you need to stop worrying. The team. Myself included will be okay. Plus, I get the next best thing, Dawson as a partner." Jay mumbled, his eyes still closed.

Erin groaned. She had only been on desk duty for a few days, besides interrogating suspects and going to talk with witnesses or families of victims, her ass had been superglued to that chair. "You have no idea how mind numbingly boring desk duty is. If I wanted a desk job, I would have been a lawyer."

"And you'd be a damn good lawyer. A pretty sexy one too." Jay teased, pulling Erin on top of him. "You know. We still have an hour before we have to get ready. Wanna try and make the best of it?" Erin teased, planting soft kisses along his neck line.

"I think that can be arranged." Jay smirked, pulling Erin's face to his, his lips smashing against her, as she straddled him. Jay moaned as Erin began leaving a trail of kisses down his torso towards his pelvis.

Shivers ran down his spine. She drove him insane. "God. You have no idea how much I love you." He flipped Erin on her back pinning her hands above her head as he left kisses on her neck. It felt like every nerve in her body was being touched, the hairs on her neck standing on end.

As if fate was working against them, their phones buzzed simultaneously. The two sighed in frustration. "Really. Right now!?" Erin complained.

Jay reached for his phone, laughing at Erin's annoyance. "Yeah?"

Watching Jay intently, Erin waited to hear what they were being called in for. "Hostage situation at Chicago Med. Gotta meet at the district and get suited up."

Erin pulled herself off the bed, taking the sheet with her. "I expect that we will continue this after shift."

"Definitely."

A:N: Please don't forget to review. The next few chapters, I'm sure you'll very much enjoy...


	15. Chapter 15

The whole of Intelligence congregated outside of Chicago Med, awaiting Voight's debrief on how to handle the situation. Everybody shuddered in the harsh Chicago wind, their teeth chattering.

"The hospital is in lockdown. Nobody comes in or out until we find this guy. You hear me?" Everybody nodded in agreement. "Erin. Platt. You're in charge of ensuring the evacuated patients needing urgent care are transported to Lakeshore. Halstead, Dawson, Ruzek, Roman and Burgess. You'll be inside. Searching for the shooter. And ensuring nobody else is injured. Disarm him. And if you need to. Take the shot. Al, Atwater and myself will go in with you, and help get any other patients we can find outside. When Atwater, Olinksy and I leave. Whoever is still in, stays in." Hank directed, as everybody double checked their guns and Kevlar's, before making their way into the hospital.

Halstead and Ljndsay exchanged a quick glance, "Be careful." Erin mouthed. "Always." He nodded in return before heading inside with the rest of their team.

Inside the hospital was almost silent besides the hushed voices and shuffling of patients feet as they were evacuated from the building.

Halstead along with Dawson, Burgess, Roman and Ruzek combed the halls of the hospital, crouched, their guns out in front of them, loaded and ready to shoot, assessing and clearing every room possible. Only coming across a few patients, visitors and doctors or nurses now and again who had unfortunately been unable to make it outside before the official lockdown.

Al had called in over the radio. "That's it. All we could evacuate. It's up to you guys now. Good luck."

That was it. There was no way in or out. They were on their own.

Whoever this guy was. He was still inside. And it was up to them to find him.

"I think we should split up." Ruzek suggested. "I'll take the OR and recovery rooms. If you guys want to split up from there." Halstead suggested.

"No way. No one goes at this alone. Even if it takes us just a bit longer. We stay safe in numbers." Dawson protested. "Everybody goes home tonight."

"I promise I'll keep my radio on. We need to comb through this hospital as quickly as possible." Halstead disagreed, walking off in the direction of the OR and recovery rooms.

Ruzek glared at Dawson, "You're just going to let him do his own thing?" Shrugging his shoulders Dawson told him there wasn't anything he could do, nobody could ever change Jay Halstead's mind. "Look at his partner. Of course both of them don't listen to anyone else but themselves." Ruzek, Burgess and Roman chuckled at his remark, Dawson was right.

"Okay. Burgess and Roman. You take the next two floors and Ruzek and I will do the others. Keep your eyes peeled. And everybody in the loop." Dawson finished, then began to clear then floors with Ruzek.

There had been no sign of the man who had been suspected as the shooter based on witnesses descriptions.

The five of them inside the hospital had checked in multiple times with the rest of their team outside.

The middle aged man, inadequately dressed for the freezing January, was nowhere to be seen. Those in the ER department who had witnessed him shoot April, had said he had a noticeable scar down the right side of his face.

Jay, Dawson, Ruzek, Burgess and Roman had all checked in over their radios, no sign of him.

It was eerie. Nothing like the hospital should be. It would be fair to call it, horrifying or gory, but never eerie.

Eerie, would have described the run down, abandoned asylum they had to check out a few months back.

The five had decided to meet back at the original spot in the ER where they first split from to double check before declaring the hospital as all clear.

"Jut waiting on you Halstead." Ruzek called over his radio, "Yeah yeah man. I'm on my way, just double checking before I do."

As the four waited towards the back of the ER for Jay, a man approached them, clearly terrified and anxious. His hands shook as her approached them, hands in the air. He wasn't the guy they were looking for, he didn't fit the description. He wore a beanie, a thermal puffer jacket and light blue coloured jeans.

"Hey man. You okay?" Burgess asked cautiously, slowly stepping towards him, her gun raised.

"My wife-" He cried, almost hyperventilating. "She-she. He shot her. She's bleeding, it's really bad. I need your help. I don't know where he went." The man was clearly in distress, worried about his wife. He was flustered, everything he said jumbled into one.

"It's alright man. Where is she?" Ruzek asked, somewhat apprehensive. "This way." He motioned waving his hand behind him as he walked.

"Halstead. Just checking on a victim. What's your location?" Dawson asked. "All radio's lost signal 'Tonio." Roman added. "One of the hospitals many black spots."

"We've lost all contact inside." Atwater announced, after numerous attempts to check in with either of the five of his co-workers.

"We've gotta get in there. Something could be wrong." Erin piped up.

"Erin. We are not sending anybody else in there. There's one of him. Five of us. And a few others on the inside." Hank retorted. "That is not just anybody in there Hank. This is our team. We always have each other's back." Erin snapped, pulling herself from Hank's grip.

"Lindsay. I will not tell you again. Listen to my orders, or I will have no problem in sending you back to the district for desk duty." Hank yelled, loud enough for everyone to jump at his remark.

Erin sighed and groaned in frustration, smashing her fist against the side of one of the ambulances. They should be in their. She should be in there.

The four followed the scared man down the long corridor, towards a room at the end of it. The room appeared dark from where they were. "Hey man. Where is she?" Burgess asked, somewhat apprehensive.

"She's in here." He cried jogging into the dark room, holding the door open for them.

"Buddy. There's no one in here." Roman asked, now suspicious of what they had gotten themselves into.

"That's because she's gone." The man replied, his voice emotionaless, and monotonous, before slamming the door behind him and clicking the lock shut.

Burgess jumped at the mans sudden change of character. "She's been gone for a year today." He sobbed, flicking in the light switch, turning on his heel, ripping off his coat and beanie.

The four raised their guns at him, ready to shoot, hesitating as they realised what he had revealed after removing his coat.

A loud gasp escaped Kim's mouth. The man underneath the coat, was the man that fit the description of that of the shooter. Jeans, a dark coloured t-shirt and zip up hoodie. And that unmistakeable scar on his face.

A leather holster sat around his shoulders, on one side a handgun. Most likely the one that had shot April. One the other, what appeared to be a large automatic gun.

A machine gun.

They didn't have to be brain surgeons to know what kind of gun that was. But that wasn't what terrified them the most. The vest strapped to his chest, was perhaps the most frightening of all.

The wires. The tiny lights that flashed. The explosives. All attached to the bomb that was strapped tightly around his torso. As well as the detonator attached to his chest.

The four of them were speechless. "Hand over your radios and guns now." The man demanded.

The four of them were frozen in their places. This was unlike any situation they had ever found themselves in before. A situation that petrified them. One they maybe wouldn't walk away from.

One could only hope that Jay was as far away from this as possible.

Usually, any one of them would have put up a fight but considering the weapons he was carrying along with the bomb strapped to chest, neither of them would put up fight. It was up to their ability to negotiate now.

Without any further hesitation, they handed over their radios and guns, throwing them at the mans feet. Keeping a safe distance from him.

"If either of you comes at me and tries to stop me. I will have no hesitation in blowing up this hospital and everyone in it." He threatened.

Erin was beginning to grow restless outside, just as Voight was. She paced up an down the barrier outside the front of the ER. Not knowing what was going on inside, was just as bad as knowing.

"Maybe we should try contacting them via the hospital phones?" Atwater suggested. "They mightn't be-"

It was then that the startling rapid fire of a gun, filled the ears of those just outside of the ER. Jerking them out of the haze they had been in.

The hearts of those left outside from Intelligence began to race, blood pulsating throughout their veins. They knew that noise. Machine gun fire.

Erin had no control over what she did next. Her feet just carried her, faster then she thought she could move, especially being almost six months pregnant.

Not even thinking, she hadn't even had time to grab her 19mm from her Chrysler, nor her radio. She just sprinted through the crowd of people, doctors, nurses, patrol men, media and the rest of her team, pushing them out of the way as she moved. The bitter air filling her airways. Not caring who she had to get through to reach the doors of the ER.

Voight chased after Erin, unable to catch her. It was like she had been overcome by an adrenaline rush, moving at a speed he had never seen before.

She crashed through the doors, shoving the "use in case of emergency" crowbar through the door handles, locking it from the inside out.

Leaning up against the nearest wall, Erin placed her hands on her knees, catching her breath. Only now just coming to. The last minute had gone by in a flash.

The machine gun fire. Dropping everything and running, not for her life, but for those inside, the ones she loved the most. Now she just had to find them.

Olinksy pulled Hank back as he tried to chase after Lindsay, "Let her go Hank." He sighed.

"Let her go Al?" He yelled, shoving him, his hands firmly pressed against his chest. "She's my daughter. She's one of us. She's carrying my grandchild. Jay's baby. What happens if something happens to her? He would never forgive me. I would never forgive myself." He panicked, one of the rare times he let his guard down.

But he knew Al was right. They had no idea what was going on in there. For now, they just had to wait it out. And hope that tonight, everybody would make it home.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm a few chapters ahead at the moment. If I can get ten reviews, seeing what you think about this chapter then i can have it up within the next few days. Thanks again 3


	16. Chapter 16

Erin walked slowly and quietly through the corridors of Chicago Med, keeping herself low and as out of sight as possible.

Erin reached for her gun in its holster, only to realise that she'd left it in the back of her Chrysler, with her radio. "Shit." She cursed, patting herself down. Her voice echoed throughout the corridor.

Quickly, she clasped her hands over her mouth. If she was completely on her own, without her gun or any means of contact with the outside, she had to be quiet. Especially if she wanted a chance to get out of here. With her team fully intact.

There was no sign anywhere that a machine gun had been fired. The noise that had rung from inside only a few minutes prior made it clear that a whole magazine had to have been let off . No bullets or bullet holes.

Erin had almost scanned the whole of the ER with no luck. Besides a few locked doors and upturned rooms, she couldn't find anyone, or anything at all.

Lindsay shoved her weight up against a jammed door leading towards the operating theatre as she continued to search the hospital. After multiple attempts, it finally gave way.

Gently, she closed and locked it behind her. And began to inspect the OR and wash rooms along side.

Before she had time to register what was happening, Erin found herself flat on her ass. She was one of the most coordinated people in the District, how she could have tripped on nothing was beyond her.

She winced as she rubbed her ankle she had rolled in the midst of tripping over. Pushing herself off the ground, Erin endured the slight pain in her ankle, and rubbed her hands on her dark jeans. Only to realise then that her hands were covered in blood.

Erin panicked for a moment, before giving herself a once over, she sighed in relief when she knew it wasn't her blood. But it was someone's blood.

Whoever it was must have been a victim to that machine gun fire earlier, but the lack of blood made her think otherwise. Maybe they had been shot with the handgun that had shot April this morning.

Grabbing a plastic chair from inside the OR observation room, Lindsay followed the trail of blood to the third OR.

She felt like Hansel and Gretel following blood rather than breadcrumbs as she walked.

Her heartbeat was in her ears. A large lump developing in her throat, as it had the moment she had heard the gun shots earlier.

Besides the almost inaudible sound of her boots on the floor, she could have sworn she would hear a pin drop.

Holding back a gasp, Erin came across an empty handgun magazine and then not even a few feet away, the hand gun.

That gun. She knew that gun like the back of her hand. Like it was her own. It was the gun that had covered her on infinite occasions. That had her back. Always. The gun that sat so perfectly in his hands. His hands, with his perfect aim. Her partners hands. Her best friend. Her boyfriend. Jay. Her Jay.

Her mind raced. Thoughts spiralling. She felt nauseous, not in the way she had over the last few months with morning sickness. In a way that was a terrified sick, like she had felt after they had found Nadia's body in New York.

Nadia. She missed her everyday. She was her best friend. Her sister. She could only wish that she had been here with her over the last year to share everything she had gone through, good and bad.

She could only hope that she wouldn't find him like she had Nadia. But the blood. An empty ejected magazine. And his gun. Drove her mind to the worst places.

Erin stopped in her tracks. Putting herself back in a somewhat functional manner, she gathered herself. If he was there, he would need her.

She carried the chair above her head, with the hope of using as a weapon of need be. The blood trail ended at the entrance to the OR. She nudged the door open with her hip.

"CPD. Call out if you can hear me. I'm a Detective. I'm here to help." She choked out, her voice nervous.

A loud, pain-filled groan echoed throughout the room, coming from

behind the operating table.

It was then she saw the boot belonging to whoever it was. Those black combat boots were his. He never took them off.

Erin fell to the ground, as she got to him. Her legs giving way from underneath her.

"Jay." Erin sobbed, reaching for his face. "Baby. Hey."

He was pale. White like their bed sheets. Beads of sweat fell from his hairline. His breathing was laboured. Like he was struggling for air. Uneven. He was struggling.

He no longer wore his beanie. His hair was messy, all over the place. He was clutching at his right side. As hard as he could, despite his weak and frail appearance. His black beanie pressed firmly to his rib cage.

It was only now could she see where the blood trail had come from. The blood stained his light grey t-shirt.

He could barely open his eyes. He was in more pain than he had ever been before. But he still knew that voice. "Erin." He winced, trying to open his eyes, failing, as he tried to reach for Erin with his free hand.

Kim was distraught, her head buried in Adam's chest as he tried to keep her relaxed.

"I swear to God. If either of you try to come at me again I will set this bomb off." The man yelled as he set the machine gun down on the table.

Roman immediately regretted his decision to lunge at the man to try and disarm him, whether it be the hand gun or the machine gun.

He had dodged Roman, who had then inevitably fallen to the ground. And proceeded to beat him until he bled. Aiming swift kicks to his body and to his face.

If it hadn't have been for the bomb strapped to his chest, the three of them would have taken him down.

But they had been given enough training in the academy to know, that going anywhere near him, especially with the amount of explosives strapped to him. Would end in the whole hospital being destroyed, them included.

Dawson had rushed to his side, dragging him off the ground. He would be okay, a few bruises and scratches. He looked worse than it really was. Roman wiped the blood from his mouth and slumped against a wall.

The man clearly had an immense amount of anger to express, if it wasn't already evident to the four of them from his actions this morning and then again just now. What he did next, petrified them.

He turned, his back to the group. Aiming the gun towards the ceiling.

And pulled the trigger, holding it in until the magazine was empty.

Everybody had ducked, covering their ears from the blaring noise of the rapid fire. The empty shell casings flying about the room.

The man chucked the unloaded gun and empty magazine across the other side of the room. It breaking into tiny pieces, scattering all over the room.

The four of them couldn't find the words to describe the anger that they had just witnessed, he had just taken to the ceiling and walls with the gun, firing hundreds of holes in the dry wall.

"You!" He yelled, pointing the hand gun towards Ruzek and Burgess, waving it about. "Come here."

Kim turned to him, still inconsolable. She was tough, and knew when she had to keep a lid on her emotions. She had been shot through her vest with a shot gun and beaten by a man who had held Roman and her against their will. But suddenly, being trapped, without any means of communication or protection, she felt hopeless. Like she couldn't do anything to save herself or her friends.

Pulling herself from Adam's protective yet consoling grip. She walked towards the man, her hands raised as he pointed the gun at her head. "I need you to tell your Sergeant that if he thinks he can negotiate with me or outsmart me or try to take me down. This building goes up in smoke."

Kim stuttered as she tried to speak. "But you said we can't leave."

He pinned her against the wall. Her fiancé, Roman and Dawson jumped up to lunge at him, only to have him turn the gun towards them, Kim still pinned to the wall, his hand tight around her throat.

"I know what I said. You're going to make a video. And then send it to him." He taunted. "Now you three, sit back down. Or she loses her head."

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this cheater. And don't hate me too much. Please keep the reviews coming. I should have the next chapter up within the next week


	17. Chapter 17

Voight shoved his hand into the deep pockets of his leather jacket, reaching for his phone that had been incessantly buzzing for the last five minutes.

Olinksy, himself and Atwater had finally sent off the last EMT to Lakeshore. Themselves, Platt, a few other sets of patrolmen as well as some members of the SWAT team and CFD, were the only few people left outside of Chicago Med, waiting out the lockdown situation.

 _1 New Message - Blocked ID_

 _1 Attachment_

He opened the message. Olinksy huddled along with Platt at his side.

Kim's tear stricken face appeared on his screen, she looked harrowed, like she had witnessed something that shook her to her core.

If only they knew.

He pressed play.

Her shoulders shook as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks.

 _"_ _Sergeant Voight. This is a message from Liam Grant. He would like two things. One, for him to remove all police presence from outside the hospital. And second, for Dr Connor Rhodes to contact him within the next hour. If these requests are granted, he will cease fire on all Chicago Police officers and others within the hospital."_

"Oh my god." Hank stammered. Trudy placed a hand on his back.

He may not have known what was really going on inside that hospital, or if the rest of his unit was still alive but now he was past boiling point.

His deep, croaky voice bellowed throughout the emergency entrance into Chicago Med. "I need everybody at least twenty yards away." He waved his hands in front of him motion in for them to move backwards.

"Trying to get in contact with Rhodes now." Atwater spoke up, holding his hand to the mouthpiece of his phone.

Lindsay pressed her hand to where his beanie was held against his right side. Her other hand cupping his face. "Jay. What happened!?"

He swallowed and took deep breaths as he tried to find the energy to speak. He was drained. Exhausted. In a way she had never seen before.

He had been shot once in his whole life, only once whilst he was working undercover with Arthur, one of the guys who had 'shares' in Molly's. But that was a mere graze compared to the burning sensation that radiated throughout his body. That caused him to to struggle and fight for each gasp of air.

He knew he didn't need Will's medical knowledge to know being shot in the lung, most likely caused it to puncture and collapse.

Frantically, Erin assessed his gunshot wound, slowly and carefully pulling the beanie aside and his shirt up. Sighing in relief as she realised he wasn't bleeding out. Not badly at least. But it was likely that he was bleeding internally. Which was probably worse. "Jay, baby. You need to lie on your right side, I know it's gonna hurt but it'll help with your breathing. And I'll keep pressure on it." Erin said choking back tears, helping him down into his side.

Jay flinched and screamed out in pain as he lay on his side. Erin wiped the tears that trickled down her face, smearing blood on her cheeks.

Pulling off her coat, Erin removed her flannel and began to tie it around Jay's torso. "Jay. This is gonna hurt a little, I just need to tie this around your waist to make a tourniquet and put some pressure on your wound. You're bleeding pretty bad. I think the bullet collapsed your lung."

He winced as she tied the knot in her flannel around him. Swallowing back a few times, trying to lubricate his throat to speak. His throat felt icy cold and dry, like razor blades spinning.

Erin cupped his face, gasping at his cold touch. "What happened to your vest!?" She sobbed.

He inhaled deeply before trying to speak. "When I got upstairs. This lady-." He coughed, holding his side. "She was running, frantic. She was really unwell. And she lost her husband in the panic." His voice was deeper and throatier than usual. "And she look so much like her. Like my Mom. And I couldn't leave her helpless. So I just gave it to her. And kept going."

Erin smiled sadly at the thought of Jay giving up his vest for someone else. Someone who reminded him of his mother. "I want so badly to be mad at you right now Halstead. For taking off your vest. And for going in without back up. But you make it so hard."

"I would have had back up if she wasn't on desk duty. Which is where she should be. Not running into a hospital with an armed gunman who shot me." He tried to laugh off, but it was clear he was furious with her for risking not only her life but their baby's to save him and their team.

Erin chose to ignore his remark about her trying to be the hero, now wasn't the time to start an argument, especially not in his fragile state. "You shouldn't have come in here Erin. You don't have any idea at how psychotic this guy is. He had no hesitation when he shot me. He just pointed it at me when I was down , and pulled the trigger. It's like there was no light in behind his eyes." Jay choked out between laboured breaths.

"Of course I came in here. I'm your back up. Always. And our team needs as much help as they can." Erin corrected him, propping herself up against the operating table beside Jay.

From the moment Erin had found Jay, she hadn't been able to look into his eyes. His piercing blue eyes. The eyes that made her heart race. The eyes that bore into her soul, that reassured her everything would be okay, without a word.

And that was why she couldn't look at him. Really look at him. Into those eyes. Because, she wasn't so sure that everything would be okay.

Sitting in the silence of the empty hospital and operating theatre Erin could hear her own heartbeat. And feels Jay's ever so slightly, from where her hand laid over his chest. Her free hand clasped over her mouth, muffling her cries.

She couldn't lose him, not today, not ever. They were finally building a life for themselves. They were both excelling in Intelligence, just as the rest of their unit was. Hank wouldn't have anything or anyone but the most dedicated and hard working.

They were supposed to be preparing for their new life, not just as a partners, or as a couple but as parents. And she couldn't do that without him.

"Erin. Hey. Look at me." Jay winced, adjusting his position, trying to turn to look at her.

"I can't do this Jay." She sobbed, moving to face him. "You have to be okay. You need to be okay. I can't lose you. Our son can't lose you." Erin wiped her face, shifting her hands on top of Jay's chest.

"Our son!?"

Helpless didn't even begin to describe what Roman, Dawson, Burgess and Ruzek felt. No way out. No way in. No one could help them.

Ever since Roman had laid eyes on Liam Grant in the corridor earlier, he somehow got the feeling he knew him. Like they had met before. And for the last three hours they had been trapped in the room with him, he racked his brain as to how he knew him.

"They couldn't save her. Rhodes. He didn't even try."

"He left me and our son without a wife and a mother."

Those words had been racing around his mind. He knew where he had heard those words before today.

And like a light switch, it finally clicked. He and Burgess had responded to a call a few months back, an attempted suicide. His wife had attempted suicide after a train car accident that left her paraplegic and with minor brain damage.

She barely clung to life as Burgess and himself arrived along with Brett and Borelli. She had crashed multiple times on route to Chicago Med, before Rhodes declared her dead when she had come into the ER.

Grant was right, Rhodes didn't try. But she had crashed on the way to the hospital, and her brain would have been deprived of too much oxygen. It was either life support or death, either way, even if Rhodes had tried, she would have died.

"I remember you."

Liam's head snapped up, anger in his eyes.

"Your wife. A few months ago. She attempted suicide after a car accident." Roman continued cautiously. "My partner and I were first on the scene before the Medics. We tried to revive her. And so did the medics. But she never made it here. To Chicago Med."

Grant pushed himself out from the table, before turning it upside down. The loud crashing noise startling them.

"Don't you dare say a fucking word about her." He lunged at Roman, tackling him to the ground. "He didn't even try. She could have lived a long and happy life with me and our son." He screamed.

"Even if he had tried. She wouldn't have had any quality of life. Her brain had been deprived of oxygen too long." Roman coughed as Liam choked him, pinned against the ground. "She wouldn't have lived a happy life. And that would have caused you more pain than you can imagine."

Dawson glanced at Ruzek who nodded back at him. The two of them jumping out of their chairs, knocking him to the ground, off of Roman.

In amongst the scuffle, Grant managed to throw in a fe spun he's before getting free of their hold. Puling the detonator from his jacket pocket. His finger hovering just above the little red button.

"I swear to god if one of you utters one more word about her. Or if anybody steps into that hallway. I will blow this building into oblivion." His face a bright red, fuming with anger. "And you're going to make sure your Sargeant knows that."

There were only a select few sentences that made Jay Halstead's heart flutter.

 _"Maybe one day."_

 _"You gonna try to play scrabble with me too?"_

 _"That's why you have back up."_

 _"I'd take a bullet just to come over to your house tonight."_

 _"Just because I'm back doesn't mean I wanna quit me and you."_

 _"That was for never giving up on me."_

 _"I love you."_

 _"Erin's pregnant."_

But the one that had made him happier and made his heart somersault in his chest, was the words that his girl had just uttered.

" _Our son_ can't lose you." Erin smiled through her tears, her gaze and hands shifting to her swollen stomach.

"Our son!?" Jay exclaimed. His current state of weakness preventing him from being able to turn around and face her.

"When I had my appointment the other night. The one you couldn't come to. And when I was talking with the doctor, she accidentally slipped up. I pretended like I didn't hear what she said. And I've been debating ever since because I know we said we'd leave it as a surprise." Erin beamed, her smile ear to ear.

Jay reached up slowly and rubbed her cheek beneath his hand. "We have a son." Was all he could manage, he was getting weaker, he was significantly more pale than he had been earlier. The dark circles under his eyes, more apparent. His breathing was shallower. "I love you Er."

But even without words, they were able to convey their joy and excitement for the arrival of their son.

They both knew he was getting worse, neither of them acknowledging the fact. "I'm tired Er." Jay croaked.

"I know baby. But you've gotta stay awake. Talk to me. Tell me about a good day." Erin gazing at him intently, as he swallowed back a few times before beginning to speak, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"It was winter. One of the last winter's the we had as a family. I had only just started high school. Which I hated, with a passion." Jay snorted as he laughed. As did Erin. She wasn't the only one who hated it.

"It was a snow day. And we spent the day building snow forts. I remember we made this huge one, the four of us. Mom made us all hot coco. And we sat inside it all day. Then, after spending all day inside of the fort, Mom called us in for dinner and I started a snowball fight with Will. I just remember us pelting them at each other until Will screamed out in pain, his nose was dripping with blood. So our parents took him to the hospital, he laughed it off the whole way there. They told us he had a broken nose. I got grounded for a month and he vowed to get me back, when I wasn't ready for it." Erin giggled, Jay groaned as he tried to laugh. "Then one night probably a month or two after, I got into my bunk bed, the top one. Which he had filled with his pet tarantulas. I screamed like a baby and fell out and snapped my wrist." Erin continued to chuckle, so hard she was crying.

Jay tried to laugh, he wanted to, but the pain was getting worse, excruciating. He couldn't speak. He was becoming hypoxic, he couldn't breathe. And was slowly losing consciousness.

There wasn't anymore she could do for him. She couldn't do anything, except get him out of there. If he had any chance of surviving this. Without bleeding out or dying from lack of oxygen. He had to get proper help.

"I've gotta get you outta here. Get us out of here. You're gonna be okay. I promise." Erin sniffled, moving herself out from under Jay. "We're gonna dance at this little guys wedding. You're not dying on me. Not now. Not like this."

Squatting down, Erin carefully helped Jay off the ground, pulling him up from under his arms. He wasn't heavy, but without much help on his part, she struggled fumbling before throwing his arm over her shoulders.

Erin held wrapped her arm around his torso, her other hand pressed firmly to his side, keeping the pressure on his wound. Her hands smeared with blood, the gaping hole starting to pour with blood. Her white t-shirt and her jeans stained with his blood.

The two stumbled as Erin pushed them through the doors into the empty corridors of Chicago Med, the door slamming shut behind them.

She sighed, as it echoed throughout the hospital. "Come on. We've gotta keep going. We're almost there."

Hank paced his hands still deep in his pockets, keeping them warm from the icy temperatures.

He knew he should have chased after Erin. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He couldn't live without her. And as much as he was reluctant to admit it, he loved Jay like he did Justin. He was like another son to him. And he loved his 'daughter' more than anything in the world, no one had ever loved her like he did.

He loved his unit, each and every one of them.

Al and Kevin watched on as Hank paced the outside of the Emergency Department. "We need to get in there." Kevin suggested.

"Atwater. You know what he said. If any of us step foot in there. He'll blow this whole place up. I know we don't know what kind of bomb that is, bit we can't risk it." Olinksy stressed, patting Kevin on the back. "I admire your dedication and love for this unit but we have to wait this one out unfortunately."

Hank stormed over to them, not muttering a word as he pulled his gun from his holster and ankle clip, tossing it into the back his SUV. He gave himself a once over before making his way to the entrance.

Noticing his actions, the two chased after him, only to be shoved out of the way. "If you think you're going to stop me-" Hank yelled, his voice gruff.

"I wouldn't dream of it. I can't even tell you to stop eating that disgusting crap from the vending machine." Olinksy sighed. If anybody could negotiate with Grant, it was Hank. Despite his rock solid facade, when it came to getting through to people. He could do it.

"You two are to stay out here and help the rests of the unit once they're out. Do you hear me!? I'm going to negotiate with this psycho and get our family back."

Nodding in unison, they watched as he walked through the doors.

Erin gasped as another door slammed shut, from down the corridor adjacent to her and Jay.

"Where do you think you're going!?" The gunman threatened walking towards Erin and Jay, his handgun pointed them.

Jay didn't stir as the mans voice bellowed, he was unconscious. Still barely breathing.

"He's bleeding." Erin stammered, as she held Jay in her arms.

"The hospital's on lockdown!" He waved the gun around, taking a step closer to them.

"I know but if I don't get him out of here. He's going to die." Erin begged and pleaded.

Taking a deep breath, despair ran across the mans face. "I didn't mean to hurt him. Or that nurse... I thought if I killed somebody. Like Rhodes. The pain would go away."

He was breaking, his threatening demeanour, shedding as he confessed to Erin.

Before Erin had the chance to speak, a second door crashed shut in front of the Grant and herself.

"What the hell is this!? The. Hospital. Is. On. Lockdown!" He continued to wave them gun between the three them. Hank slowly moving towards Erin and Jay, standing in front of them, protecting them.

"Please. Liam. Just them them go. And you and I can talk this out." Hank raised his hands, ensuring he knew that he was unarmed.

"Please. He's my partner. And he's my boyfriend. And if I don't get him help soon. Our baby will grow up without a father." Erin urged, placing her hand on top of her stomach, making Liam aware that she was pregnant.

"Just like your son has to. I know what you're going through. I've been through it too. And I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But my daughter and her partner, deserve to be a family. You know that. You wouldn't want her to suffer like we have." Hank confessed. "Go on Erin." He reasoned.

Grant sobbed as he contemplated his options, how he felt that day she died and how he still felt now, empty, alone, heartbroken. "Okay." Grant agreed.

"Hank!" Erin questioned.

"Erin. You need him. Your baby needs him. Go." He demanded, as he ushered them towards the door, until they were almost free.

Waiting until he could see that Erin and Jay were safe, he approached Liam, his hands still in the air. "Just hand me the gun Liam and we can follow them out of here."

"I can't."

"I refuse to leave you here Liam. Okay? I've been there. I took my handgun to my wife's doctors hospital. And I planned on using it. I've never told anybody that. Not even my own children. I promise you it gets better, it still hurts but it gets better."

"Not this. I can't erase this. Today. I can't take it back. He's going to die. I didn't meant to hurt him." He admitted, lowering the gun from Hank's direction.

Liam fell to his knees, he had given up. "I just wanted it to be like before. Our family. But it can't. And it won't."

"Liam. It's gonna be okay. The pain in your heart goes away." Hank promised, stepping towards him to reach for the gun.

The sound of him pulling the hammer back on the gun, terrified Hank. He had been on the other end of a gun more times than he could count but for some reason, where he stood now, scared him more than anything.

Because for the first time, he watched as someone held the gun to their own chest. "I'm sorry."

"No!" Voight lunged forward, as the sound of the fatal shot rang out through the corridor. Grant's body falling lifelessly to the ground.

The sound of the gunshot resounded in Hank's ears, unlike any gunshot had done before.

Maybe because he saw a lot of himself in that man. The pain. Heartache. Loneliness. Helplessness.

He wanted to process and mourn this man, strangely enough, but he needed to find the rest of his team. And get them checked out. Make sure they were safe. Grant's suicide would have to wait.

Walking towards the exit doors, Hank proceeded to keep his hands up, as he made his way outside.

"It's over." Hank breathed a sigh of relief.

Olinksy ran to him, just as Platt did. Giving him a once over to ensure he was unharmed.

"Are they okay!?" Hank asked after Jay and Erin. Less than concerned in himself, more so in his family. "Atwater is with them on route to Lakeshore. He's going to be okay. Just gotta remove those slugs in his lungs and he'll be brand new." Platt announced.

"What happened!?"

"He took his own life. His wife died and left him and his son without a wife and mother. I know all too well

how that feels. I can't help but feel for him."

Olinksy didn't have to say another word. He knew what Hank went through after Camille died, he was a completely different person.

The SWAT team ushered Kim, Roman, Dawson and Ruzek out of the hospital. Kim buried in Adam's embrace. Roman, a lot like Dawson, kept up a strong front.

Today had been a rough one, that was an understatement. Like many of their cases, they would carry it with them.

The unit huddled together once they had all been checked out by the medics. "Where's Jay and Erin?" Kim worried.

"Lakeshore. Jay's getting some slugs removed. He'll be okay." Atwater told them.

Just like they had stood together after Jules' funeral, Hank reminded them that they were a family, and no one and nothing could break that bond. They would work through today and those that would follow, as a family.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've tried to write this for the last few weeks, it still didn't turn out the way I wanted it to but I hope this will suffice.

Please review x


	18. Chapter 18

If someone had told Jay Halstead this morning that he would be in not one but two hospital emergency rooms in one day, he would have laughed in their face.

Sure, he knew that his job was dangerous to say the least, but ending up almost bleeding to death in an operating theatre at the same hospital where his brother worked. And rescued by his pregnant partner and girlfriend, and her 'father', was something he definitely didn't predict for the outcome of today's case.

He could feel the anaesthesia finally wearing off from the emergency surgery that night. As were the pain killers. The pain that had radiated through his body this morning in the operating room with Erin, was a mere stiffness now.

He felt groggy. Confused. Nauseated. Hazy. Tired. But for the first time in a long time, he could breathe. Properly. No lying on his side, himself or Erin putting pressure on his wound. Even with the cannula up his nose, breathing had never felt so good.

The pressure in the crook of his elbow was irritating. Blood transfusion most likely. He knew he had lost a lot of blood in that room. Soaking through his own and Erin's shirt, as well as the shirt tied around his waist like a tourniquet.

Although he was no longer in agonising pain, he still felt weak, and trying to open his eyes was an impossible task. They felt heavy just as they had earlier before he lost consciousness in Erin's arms.

Erin.

The last memory he had before his eyes fell into the back of his head, was her trying with all her strength to pull his dead weight off the floor. If he could have protested he would have.

She shouldn't have been straining herself like that. She shouldn't have been in there in the first place. But Erin being her stubborn self, had to make sure that her team was safe and unharmed.

He didn't even know if they had been saved, if they were safe. If they were okay. He knew that Hank Voight would stop at nothing to ensure their lives were saved.

Jay gradually came to, scrunching his eyes together a few times before opening them. The dimly lit room was warm, something he hadn't felt since he was snuggled up close in bed with Erin. His arms encircled around her growing waist, his hand next to hers, feeling their son kick up a storm.

Their son.

One of the two reasons he was fighting for his life earlier that day. His girl. His backup. His Erin. And their son.

When she had told him that they were having a son, the little energy he had left in his body made his heart race. Although they had agreed to wait to find out whether they were having a boy or a girl. He wasn't disappointed in the slightest, that he knew.

He had imagined himself and Erin, dressed in their crappiest clothes, painting and decorating his room. Going baby shopping, buying clothes, a crib and everything in between. Turning the 'guest' room, into a home for their son.

His ears filled with the sound of a light snore as he woke. Erin's light snore. She sat in the sofa chair, her hair strewn all over her face as she slept. She had her feet up on the edge of his bed, her fuzzy thermal green socks keeping her feet warm. Her fingers were tightly interlaced with his, her other hand resting on the top of her bump.

Jay squeezed her hand softly. He still didn't have the strength to sit up properly. "Erin. Baby. Wake up."

She stirred, running her hand through her hair then rubbing her eyes. "Hey." She grinned, shifting herself closer to him. "How are you feeling?"

His voice was still husky and croaky from the surgery, he coughed a few throaty coughs before speaking. Holding his side as he winced in pain. "Not bad. Just a little sore."

Erin smiled, handing him a glass of water then kissing him on the forehead. "I was so worried about you."

"I'm okay. See." He squeezed her hand gently. "Still here to annoy you." His expression changed from slightly groggy and happy to somber, remembering the man who had almost killed him. "The shooter?"

"He took his own life." Erin told him. "Hank tried to negotiate but he said he was in too much pain. He didn't want to live without her."

A sympathetic sigh escaped Jay's mouth. As much as he hated the man for almost taking his life and putting almost everyone he cared about in danger, he felt for him. He was hurting, heartbroken, lost. Trying to find closure with his wife's death.

"When I was out cold, I had the strangest dream." He piped up. "That my girlfriend told me that we having a son." Erin giggled at his failed attempt at humour. "Only that wasn't a dream was it?" He joked.

A smile spread across Erin's face, her dimples making themselves present. "We're having a boy." She cried, pulling Jay into her embrace. "Hopefully he's good for both function and form like his old man" Jay joked. "In all seriousness though. You have made me the happiest I've ever been Er. And our little guy."

Erin squeezed him tight, never wanting to let him go. Her mind wandered to the day he left for his most recent tour, and how she feared he wouldn't come home. "I am never letting you out of my sight again." She squeezed him tighter. "I think you might want to if you want me to continue to breathe."

Erin punched him lightly on the shoulder before taking a seat on the side of his bed. "I'm going to go get your doctor to check on you okay?" She squeezed his hand and turned on her heel out of his room.

A knock on Jay's door interrupted his train of thought. "How you feel in' Halstead?" Voight motioned towards his chest, standing at the end of his bed.

"I've been better. Still a bit sore. Just glad it's all over." He smiled sadly.

Voight sucked in a deep breath, and crossed his arms. "Gave us quite a scare today. Erin especially. What have I said to all of you numerous times about back up!?"

Jay's shoulder sunk. He felt guilty for what he did today. He knew why Voight was so angry and disappointed. He'd rather to crawl under a rock than be on the receiving end of one of Voight's lectures.

"What were you thinking!? Going off from the rest of the unit like that!? Can you imagine what this would have done to Erin if you hadn't have made it out alive!? She ran in their risking hers and your child's life to rescue you. What if something happened to her!? Or you!? She's been through more in her thirty years than anyone should have to experience in a lifetime Halstead. Can you imagine how broken and distraught she would be if you died today? She would never come back from that. And your child would have to grow up without either of you."

He knew Voight was right. Only he wished it had come from Erin rather than Voight. He wished she would punish him for his stupid decision making today, maybe he would feel better knowing how she really felt. "I know okay!? I shouldn't have gone in there alone. But I did. I made a stupid hasty decision and I regret it. You don't have to lecture me. I love Erin and our son more than anything in the world. I would never do anything to put them in harms way or prevent Erin from being happy." Jay yelled back, his voice still croaky, holding his side that was still sore.

Voight glared at Jay icily, he was pissed off at him to say the least but he knew Jay would never do anything to put them in harms way.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Erin excused herself, the doctor in tow behind her.

"Nope. Halstead and I were just having a much needed man to man chat." Voight told her as she took her seat back on the side of Jay's bed.

"How you feeling Mr Halstead?" The doctor asked, grabbing the clipboard off the end of the bed.

"Bit sore. But nothing I can't handle. How long am I out for?"

Hank and Erin laughed, like them, he wanted to get back out there. The doctor continued and assessed Jay's stitches, peeling his bandage back to reveal the freshly stitched wound.

Jay would be released tomorrow, with one week medical leave and another back at work on desk duty before returning to the field.

Erin shoved her key in the door of the apartment as she and Jay arrived home from the hospital.

Throwing the keys into the dish by the door, Erin dropped their bags on the floor.

"I need to take a shower. I can only get so clean with a sponge bath." Jay announced walking towards the bathroom, unzipping his hoodie, tossing it over the side of the couch.

"I don't know. That male nurse seemed to clean every inch of your body." Erin joked. The male nurse had taken quite a liking to giving Jay a sponge bath. Erin wouldn't let him live it down, laughing as she had watched him from the doorway of the hospital bathroom.

"You're never going to let that go are you?" Jay made his way back towards Erin, wrapping his arms around her.

"Never." She smirked.

"Well. If you're playing the teasing game. Then I guess I can too."

Erin felt Jay's breath on her neck, sending tingles down her spine. Her heart racing. Jay planted soft kisses along her neck line, running his hands up and down her sides.

"I'm gonna take a shower." Jay whispered in her ear, slowly unzipping his hoodie dumping it next to his bag.

Erin heard the shower turn on as she settled herself, taking a deep breath. The hairs on the back of her neck still standing on end. How he managed to make her feel like that with such a small simple gesture astounded her.

Pulling off her coat, Erin made her way to the bathroom, peeling off layers as she did so. Navigating her way through the steam filled bathroom, she slid open the door. Jay stood with his back to her, still unaware of her presence due to the sound of water gushing down over him.

He's leaning against the tiles his head hanging low, as his arms rest above his head on the tiles. His body trembles. He'd been so strong the last few days. The last few months.

But getting shot and being within an inch of his life, almost leaving all those he loved most in the world behind, had taken a toll on him.

He had put up a brave front since waking up from the surgery, but Erin knew he was struggling. Even without saying it out loud. They had always been so in tune with one another.

Careful not to startle him, Erin snaked her arms around his wet bare torso, holding him close, and pressed her lips to his back between his shoulders. "Jay. Baby. It's gonna be okay. I know you've been trying to be strong for the both of us but considering the last two days, I'd say you're allowed to feel this way."

He turned to face her. His eyes bloodshot. He didn't say anything just pulled her into his embrace. "I'm just scared. Of losing it all. Us. You. Our son. Myself."

Erin looking up at him through the wet strands of hair that covered her face, her hands running through his short locks. "I don't want to be the kind of Dad my father was. He was always too busy dealing with his own issues to be there for Will and I. And I just want my head to be on right for this little guy." He placed his hand on top of Erin's stomach. "You do baby. You always have. You're just a bit out of sorts. We're going to get through this as a family. And hey, I'm far from perfect too. We're going to do what we do best. Figure this all out as partners."

Erin exited their bedroom walking to the kitchen to fix herself and Jay some dinner most likely cashew chicken stir-fry, a favourite of theirs. She dried her short hair with the towel, pulling on Jay's Blackhawks sweater. Erin began grabbing the ingredients from the cupboards and fridge, placing them on the bench.

Jay stood in the bathroom, his sweats hung low on his hips, as he shaved his few days growth. "Er. Could you get that for me?" He yelled from the bathroom, as he phone rang in the living room.

Erin picked up his phone off the coffee table, noting Will's name that flashed across the screen.

"Hey. It's Erin. Jay's just shaving that thing he calls a beard." She joked.

She heard Jay scoff loudly from the bathroom.

"Erin. How're you feeling? How's my big brother?"

"We're all good. He's struggling but he's going to be okay. What can I do for you?" She asked.

"Did you and Jay end up deciding about heading up to Wisconsin in a few weeks time? He said you guys had to shift some stuff around. But it's been a month. And he hasn't gotten back to me."

Erin's brow furrowed. He never mentioned anything about Wisconsin. "Yeah-uh. Still trying to sort it out. But we'll get back to you soon."

"Thanks Erin. Our father is getting impatient. He just wants to have the five of us there with him. He wants to fix things with Jay. He's not doing too well at the moment." Will sighed in relief. Erin on the other hand, was more confused than ever. Not only had Jay keeping the whole Wisconsin thing from her. For a month. But with his Father. And Will and Nat.

She tossed his phone on the couch and continued preparing dinner. She tried to push the conversation to the back of her mind as she made dinner. All that mattered at the moment was Jay getting better. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally.

Sure she was struggling too. Physically, she was exhausted. She felt like as the weeks went by, and their baby continued to grow within her, the more tired she became. Which was to be expected. Her back. And her feet.

Mentally. Emotionally. Drained. Worrying about Jay. Terrified about being a Mom. Mostly because of how she was raised initially. By her so called Mother. But having Hank and Camille's love and guidance throughout the toughest years have her a glimmer of hope. Yet, she was still anxious and petrified.

But nothing compared to the way he was. He was still struggling with his recent return home from his tour. The demons that used to haunt him years ago, had resurfaced. And he was doing his best to deal with them.

Getting shot within an inch of his life. And almost leaving his girl. His Erin and their son behind. And his team. And his brother.

She wouldn't press him on it. Not tonight. They needed tonight to themselves. Even if they couldn't be with each other in that way, they would be with each other, for each other.

"Who was that on the phone?" Jay asked slipping on a tshirt as he began helping Erin with dinner. "Oh uh wrong number. They were looking for a Casey Dokic. From Bulgaria."

Jay snorted. Erin followed suit. It was so good to see him smile and laugh, even if it wasn't exactly true. He was putting up his usual strong front for her.

By the time the two of them finished dinner they were beat. Ready for a good nights sleep for the day ahead tomorrow.

Jay stood leaning against the door frame between their bedroom and bathroom, as he brushed his teeth. Erin sat clad in her underwear on the bed as she rubbed cocoa butter over her chest and stomach, unaware as Jay watched on.

"Can I ask you something?" Erin asked apprehensively, screwing the lid back onto the bottle.

Jay perched himself on the end of the bed, taking her feet in his hands rubbing them, raising his eyebrows up at her. She knew she could talk to him about anything.

"I lied to you earlier." She said, her head bowed. She hated lying to him. "It wasn't a wrong number before. It was Will. Asking if we had decided about Wisconsin in a few weeks.

He sighed and moved himself up to his side of the bed next to Erin. "Why didn't you tell me?" She pressed.

"I don't know why. I just- It's just. I haven't spoken with him in almost three years. And I haven't felt like I've needed to. When I told my parents I was leaving for Afghanistan, he was disappointed in me, he told me that I was pissing my life away. He kept asking me why couldn't I do something with my life like Will and be a doctor or a lawyer like him. He always made it out like Will was his only son. Like I was some stray dog that no one wanted. And my Mom couldn't do anything except sit by and watch. Anytime she would speak up and try to voice her opinion. He would yell at her. Tell her that she didn't have a voice or he'd hit her on the odd occasion." Erin let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes as he opened up to her, squeezing his hand.

"And she couldn't leave him. She was a stay at home Mom for the most part of our lives. She didn't have enough money to take us with her to leave him. So she just grinned and bared it. " He stiffened as he bitterly spat those last words out. "And when my Mom got sick, and we found out it was terminal. He used it as an excuse to run. To jump into bed with someone else. He wasn't there for her. Like Will and I were. He never came to her funeral. And I've seen him once maybe twice since. The last time was almost three years ago when he felt the need to reach out and contact me. Will and him ambushed me. I left after not even an hour."

"Jay..." Erin trailed off, cupping and stroking his cheek with her thumb. "And I guess I didn't tell you because I don't want you to meet him. He's not someone I want you to know. Or our son for that matter. In a way, I feel he's like Bunny. And I know how you feel about me properly getting to know her and letting our son near her." He placed his hand on top of Erin's on her belly. "He's toxic. And we don't need someone like that in our lives."

Erin nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry Er. I don't want to lie to you. It's just I didn't think it would matter. You've had enough to deal with lately. We both have. And I didn't want to add to it."

She stared at Jay intently. Unsure of what to do. Sure she understood his fathers similarity to Bunny. Never having anything to do with their children. Treating them like trash. Verbally. Physically. Psychologically abusing them. But he had tried to reach out. Not in the way that Bunny had. Only ever rocking up when she wanted something. His father on the other hand, just wanted to mend the broken ties with his oldest son. And Will had sounded somewhat concerned.

"I understand baby. I do. It's just that Will sounded so distressed on the phone. Like it was urgent. Or serious. I know how much family means to you. How much our family means to you. I just don't want you to regret it. And I know that you'd do anything you could to mend ties with someone you love." Erin laid her head on Jay's chest, careful of his injuries and his stitches, her arm draped across his torso. His hand in her hair.

"Just let me think about it. Okay? I'll call Will tomorrow and let him know. I just need to lay here and sleep. Next to you and our boy. Without having to deal with everything that goes on outside this apartment." Jay kissed her forehead, before flicking off his bedside lamp.

Softly, Erin placed a kiss on his scar from his gun shot wound. "We're going to be okay Jay. I promise."

A/N: I'm actually the worst at uploading but I'm starting the next chapter as you read this. I hope I can have it up by this time next week for the CPD Finale.

Please review lovelies


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